18 year old Jamie Gallant of Dartmouth was sentenced to life in prison yesterday with no eligibility for parole for 17 years. Now 17 years is a lengthy time in a federal penitentiary, but in Gallant's case it is not nearly enough. This is the young man who, last December, kicked in an elderly woman's door, smashed her over the head with a flashlight so hard it broke, then beat her to the point where her face had caved in and breaking most of the 79 year old's ribs in the process. He then left her to die. Later, while watching TV news coverage about the murder, he laughed and said he'd done that. All for $62 and some cigarettes. This individual is trouble, and for society's protection, needs to spend the rest of his days behind bars.
Gunshots rang out last night at Uniacke Square. As police arrived to investigate, a man in his 20's was checking into the QE2 emergency department with a gunshot wound. He's recovering this morning and police are investigating. It's the latest in a rash of gunplay incidents this city has witnessed this year.
A troubling incident yesterday morning on Fenwick Street. A woman was sexually assaulted and choked around 11am in what police are describing as a random incident. The woman did not know her attacker. We're not sure what prompted the attack, but the man was chased down and arrested and will be in court today.
Where is Wayne Cunningham? One of two suspects in that sexual assault and forcible confinement case involving a 16 year old youth in Lunenburg County could be anywhere say the RCMP. Ontario Provincial Police are involved in a manhunt for Cunningham in a remote part of northern Ontario where Cunningham's car was found yesterday morning. It was also near where his partner, David Leblanc, was found walking along a road shoeless and wearing only light clothes in near freezing temperatures. He's now being treated in hospital in Ontario for frostbite and is under police guard.
The ex-wife of the new coach of the Halifax Rainmen is making life a little uncomfortable for him. Voretta Roland in California has sent an e-mail to media outlets in the city suggesting Cliff Levingston's failure to fully pay his child support has left her destitute and on the verge of being evicted from her home. Levingston says he's paid up. It's not the first time Roland has gone to the media. Levingston suggests she's done it while he has coached elsewhere. Not a great start however for the team's new coach just beginning his first training camp with the Rainmen.
Have a great day. Get involved. And if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.
Rick Howe
