Ophélie Lechat

I just don’t know what to say about this: (emphasis theirs)

Antonio Nunez spent his childhood in a dangerous South Central Los Angeles neighborhood. Shortly after his 13th birthday, Antonio was riding a bicycle near his home when he was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting. His brother, who was 14 years old, ran to help Antonio and was shot in the head and killed. Antonio was critically injured and underwent emergency surgery to repair his intestines.

In the wake of his brother’s murder, Antonio suffered severe trauma and depression. After he was released from the hospital, Antonio left South Central and spent over six months with family in Nevada before he had to return to Los Angeles.

Within weeks of his return to his home in South Central, 14-year-old Antonio got into a car with two older men who picked him up at a party. One of the men later claimed to be a kidnap victim.

Antonio acknowledged responsibility for his actions on the day of his arrest. He testified that, when plainclothes police in unmarked vans chased their car, he fired a gun out of fear that the occupants of the van would shoot him, just as he had been shot the day his brother was killed.

When he saw a marked police vehicle activate its light, Antonio dropped the gun to the floor and left it there. Seconds later, the car crashed into some trees. Antonio was arrested and charged with, among other offenses, aggravated kidnapping.

No one was injured during the chase, but Antonio was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

I’d love to think that this couldn’t happen in Canada, but I’m not so sure.  The human element seems to be withdrawn from our courts a little more each day.