A judge at the B.C. Supreme Court has denied a request from one of the Surrey Six murderers to halt his convictions. Justice Martha Devlin dismissed Cody Haevischer’s claims of police and corrections officials’ misconduct, stating they did not warrant stopping the case. As a result, Haevischer is now officially convicted of six murders and one conspiracy charge, leading to a life sentence.
Haevischer, previously found guilty in the 2014 Surrey Six killings, sought to halt the proceedings, alleging police misbehavior and mistreatment during his incarceration constituted an abuse of process. Despite his plea for a reduced sentence or a stay of proceedings, Devlin rejected most of his assertions, only acknowledging a breach of Charter rights due to solitary confinement.
The ruling comes after a complex legal battle following the 2007 murders. Haevischer and co-accused Matthew Johnston faced charges in 2009, with a third individual, Person X, pleading guilty earlier. Despite previous legal twists, Devlin’s decision upholds the unchallenged facts of Haevischer’s involvement in the heinous crime.
The judge’s assessment focused on whether the alleged police impropriety and custody treatment constituted an abuse of process undermining a fair trial. Devlin emphasized that even if such abuse existed, it did not meet the threshold for a remedy like a reduced sentence. She scrutinized Haevischer’s claims of police misconduct, highlighting the lack of evidence implicating the RCMP and praising witness bravery.
While acknowledging Charter violations in Haevischer’s segregation, Devlin dismissed claims of collusion between police and corrections officials. She pointed out legitimate concerns about Haevischer’s impact on other inmates and questioned his attribution of anxiety solely to his incarceration experience. The ruling concluded with the formal entry of convictions against Haevischer and mentions of additional legal consequences for his contempt of court conviction.
The decision was met with reactions from victims’ families, who found solace in the court’s verdict, emphasizing the pursuit of justice for their loved ones. The Surrey Six murders, a tragic event from nearly two decades ago, remain a stark reminder of gang violence in the region.
