W. Van willing to pay to keep its courthouse open Jolanda Waskito Contributing Writer WEST Vancouver Mayor Pat Boname is asking B.C."s attorney gencral to reverse his decision to shut down the West Vancouver provin- cial courthouse. “It just doesn’t make sense. This decision combined with the cancella- Hon of the police equalization grant will cost the West Vancouver taxpay- ers approximately $1 million per year,” said Boname. She said Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh called her on March 20 and told her he was sorry, but “we're closing your courthouse.” She met Dosanjh the next night at an awards ceremony and repeated her request to delay the amalgama- ton of the West Vancouver facility with North Vancouver provincial courthouse. “He said , ‘No, it’s too late Eve already made the announcement,” Boname said. Bur the mayor isn’t giving up. Boname said the municipality is offering the provincial. government the cost it intended to save — pro- jected by the ministry at $303,843 (uly 3), 1997 to March 31, 1999) ~- by shutting the courthouse fuly “We would assume that cost and work on the changes that would come in the jus- tice system,” Boname said. “If the closure is delayed for the two years required to implement the reforms, we can sup- port the initiatives which you are introducing,” stated Boname in a letter to Dosanjh. The municipalities of Richmond, Maple Ridge and Chilliwack have already been successful in their Tree-cuts trouble in North Van By Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter NEIGHBORS are furious over the actions of a property owner near the top of Mountain Highway. The owner chopped down at least a haif dozen trees on Monday. “The property has been clearcut basically. He went totally against the promise he gave the neighbors and totally against what he said in coun- cil,” said angry neighbor Craig Delahunt. The property owner, Herman Sangha, demolished an old house at 1265 Mill St. and is building, a larger, taller home. Sangha received a development variance permit to build a_ taller house. He told North Vancouver District council that he would nor remove trees On the property. Said Sangha on Wednesday, “We didn’t have the information we have now, We actually did not want to cut those trees. They were nice trees. They provided privacy to us as well as the neighbors.” . Sangha is building the home for his parents, Sangha said the trees near the property line were removed on Monday for liability reasons. He said that sewage and storm drain fines had to go in near the trees. A machine See Comneil page 4 er I WEST Van Mayo! r Pat Boname and West Van Chief Constabla Grant Churchill hope to buy some time for the community's courtiiouse. “Two things.” request for a two-year delay. years would be the mayor said. “It gives us time to change Bur despite West Vancouver's offer to swallow the cost of its courthouse, it seems the attorney general has turned the tables. “We thought we were meeting (the govern- ry important to us,” Friday, Aprit 11, 1997 ~ North Shore News ~ 3 closure appealed Lawyer ment’s) need for cost, now (Dosanjh) says it’s a regionalization issue,” Boname said. West Vancouver councillor, and coincidentally, tormer Socred) attor- nev general, Allan’ Williams has requested a meeting with Dosanjh to discuss the impending closure. “My concern is that the attorney general isn’t being fully informed,” Williams said. “It’s an dlogical move being made (without) understanding the full implications both of cost to West Van and the impact on the jus- tice system on the North Shore.” As then-attorney general, Williams opened the West Vancouver courthouse in 1979-80. The courthouse is due to close. its doors this summer along with court- houses in Ganges, Langley, Ashcroft, Mission, and Victoria family court. The closures are part of the gov- ernment’s plan to save $4.7 million through justice reforms. Said Boname in a letter to Dosanjh in February, “West Vancouver made an assessment of the costs which it would bear as a result of the closure of the courthouse. The assessment showed that increased municipal cost would amount to $250,000 to $550,000 per year, the majority of which are in police pay- roll.” Right now the courthouse is adja- cent to the police headquarters. The West Vancouver Police are able to schedule officers needed for court duty for administvative work, at no additional cost. When officers have to travel our- side of their jurisdiction for court duty, those taken away from patrol duty have to be replaced by other officers, at extra cost. Said Boname in the letter, “Taking into account that the provincial police services grant in excess of $500 000 has been cancelled, the financial burden for West Vancouver appeared to outweigh any benefits that might be realized from your plan.” The West Vancouver Police Board has also expressed concern regarding the decision. Accused murderer rote letter to News Caouette faces Crown grilling By Andre Ramshaw Contributing Writer DARK passages from a five-page letter in which an accused child murderer talks of “not going alone” were read in court this week, The letter, addressed to the edi- tor of the North Shore News, never reached the newspaper. It was found with other corre- spondence in a dumpster at the apartment building of Michel Andre Caouerte. The 43-year-old North Vancouver man is charged with the first-degree murder of his daughter Danielle, 11, and the atrempted murder of his son Joshua, now U5. His trial in Vancouver — ing. But Caouette, facing his second and final day of gru- elling cross-examination by the Crown, insisted the corre: spondence was written chiefly as therapy and that he threw them out because he did not want Roxburgh to read the vulgar fines directed at her. Iris the Crown's theory that Caoucrte lashed our at his chidren in a vengeful fury against Roxburgh, trom whom he was diverced in 1996 after a [6-year marriage. “The prasecution contends that he then plotred to kill bimself’ but lacked the courage to carry out the plan. Caoucute said he often fantasized about flying away with the children so he could be with them forever and start a new fife, “PT wanted to grow old with them and five entered its Ith day Wednesday. The children were clubbed with an aye on the morn: ing of July 13, 1995, The girl died a week later. The boy survived but the extent of his injunes are nor known. In the letter, parts of which were read by prosecutor Joe Bellows, Caouette writes: “Whar goes around comes around ... Pi giving her what she wants, her space and her freedom....” He goes on to talk about his teclings of betrayal and ends the passage with the cryptic warning: “.. Po not going done.” Bellows suggested the letter, found fater that, morning, reads like 2 suicide note.” Why would the editor of the North Shore News care abour your suicide?”_ asked Bellows The “self-serving” MICHEL A. Caouette stands trial. letter was penned, he sugyested, because Caourtte knew his name would soon be associated with a vicious murder- suicide and he wanted to redeem himself in the eyes of the commu- nity. Bellows believes the letter to the editor was part of Caouette’s murder-suivide pact, a pact that went wrong because he lacked “the guts” to kill himself. Other letters, stamped and addressed to his former wife, Diana Roxburgh, were also read. In some of the more explosive passages, Caouette writes: “FP told you T would not let a whore raise my children... | won't tet vou hurt our children the way you have hurr me, You are a slut and a whore. The kids and [ are leaving forever.” In another fine, he says: “Ask your- self ifit was worth the price.” Bellows said the obscenity- laden letters to Roxburgh were tor- menting and taunting, while the others, to friends, his lawyer, and this newspaper, were simpering and self-serv- Sce Emotions page & TE faces drug charge By Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter A North Vancouver lawyer has been charged with possessing marijua- na after North Vancouver Mounties dis- covered pot plants growing in an Upper Delbrook home in January. Delmer Bernard Sokol, 50, is scheduled for a court appearance w fix a date for trial on April 16 in North Vancouver provincial court. Sokol practises criminal law out of a Pender Street office in Vancouver. He has defended cHents in North and West Vancouver provincial courts. Police were called to Sokol’s home in the 600-block of Silverdale in late January. A woman reported that the house had been broken into on the morning of Jan. 27. North Vancouver Mounties arrived to find a stolen white van parked in the driveway. Police say they apprehended one man inside the home. A second suspect jumped from a second-floor bedroom win- dow, He too was arrested, As police were searching the home for more suspects, they say they stumbled upon a hydroponic marijuana-grow- ing set-up in the basement. The North Vancouver Mounties subsequently obtained a search warrant and seized the items, including marijuana, in the house. Shannon Joseph Roustead, 23, of Burnaby and William George Peachey, 32, of no fixed address, were each charged with break and enter, autos theft and possessing stolen property in connection with othe incident at the Silverdale Place home. d was also charged ag a house break- in instrument. To press time, Peachey was wanted on two warrants relat- ed to failing to appear in North Vancouver provincial court on Feb. 7 and on Feb. 20 in connection with the charges. Meanwhile, Boustead’s charges were transferred to Vancouver provincial court at 222 Main St. He is slated to be sentenced in connection with the charges on April 28, B.C. Law Society spokesman Denise Palmer said a lawyer charged with a crimi- nal offence may continue to practice law if the charge does nor put the public at risk. Palmer said a formal Law Society hearing may take place if a lawyer pleads guilty or is found guilty of a crime. H the Law Sociery hearing results in a finding, Gf profes- sional miscotiduct or cenduct unbecoming to a lawyer or incompetency, the — conse- quences to the lawyer include a reprimand, a fine of up to $20,000, a suspension or dis- barment.