DEVELOPING 'Numerous' officers shot in 'active situation' in Charlotte, North Carolina, police say
'Numerous law enforcement officers' have been shot in an “active situation” in Charlotte, North Carolina, police say.
A dental surgeon who allowed a correctional officer to extract four teeth from a sedated inmate in central Newfoundland was granted an absolute discharge by a Supreme Court judge on Tuesday.
Justice Melanie Del Rizzo told a courtroom in Gander, N.L., that although Dr. Louis Bourget violated his position of authority and trust, convicting him of a criminal offence and putting him in custody would serve neither the dentist nor the public.
"I acknowledge that Dr. Bourget made a terrible mistake and, in doing so, assaulted (the victim) Blair Harris," Del Rizzo said, appearing via videoconference. "However, in all circumstances of this case, I am not prepared to burden Dr. Bourget with a criminal conviction, given the extreme repercussions to him that would follow such a conviction."
The court has heard that Harris was escorted to Bourget's office in October 2020 by two correctional officers, who were present in the procedure room with the sedated inmate. Bourget has said that they showed interest in the work he was performing in Harris's mouth.
Bourget "got caught up in a teaching moment" when he let one officer, Ron McDonald, remove four teeth from Harris's mouth while the other officer filmed, according to an agreed statement of facts.
The 62-year-old dental surgeon pleaded guilty to assault last year. Prosecutors wanted a three-month sentence; the defence sought an absolute discharge.
Del Rizzo said Tuesday that Bourget has acknowledged he went too far. Bourget, she said, has admitted in a statement to the court that he had loosened the skin around Harris's teeth so that they would be removed easily and McDonald didn't have to pull them out.
Bourget's statement said there had been no risk to Harris during the procedure.
However, Harris's victim impact statement said he suffers from anxiety and paranoia, feels unsafe in his home, and fears he can never go to a dentist again, Del Rizzo said.
She said that when he first heard what had happened to him, Harris worried he had been sexually assaulted, too.
"It is hard for me to imagine a more vulnerable individual," Del Rizzo said, noting that Harris was not only sedated but his movements were controlled by the two correctional officers with him.
Del Rizzo said she received about 70 letters of support for Bourget, including from his colleagues and former patients. His 17-page resume details extensive qualifications and a well-respected career, and no criminal past, she said. He also launched a foundation offering free dental care in Africa and Brazil.
The judge said she agreed with the dentist's defence team, who had argued that a criminal conviction would end Bourget's career. She also accepted their claim that the COVID-19 pandemic had been causing Bourget significant stress when he had his "lapse in judgment."
Bourget has been disciplined by two dental boards -- in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador -- and the case has cost him about $1 million in legal fees, fines and other expenses, she said. His risk of reoffending is "almost zero," she added.
"Therefore, I am satisfied that the imposition of a discharge is in Dr. Bourget's best interest and is not contrary to the public interest," she said. "In fact the letters before me demonstrate that entering a conviction in this case would not be in the broader public interest."
Bourget told reporters after Del Rizzo's decision that he had no comment on the case.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2024.
'Numerous law enforcement officers' have been shot in an “active situation” in Charlotte, North Carolina, police say.
Toronto police say 12 people are facing a combined 102 charges in connection with an investigation into a major credit fraud scheme.
B.C. Premier David Eby has joined other politicians denouncing remarks at a demonstration in Vancouver where protesters chanted “long live Oct. 7,” praising that day's attacks by Hamas on Israel.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says international students will be able to work off-campus for up to 24 hours per week starting in September.
Members of Parliament are questioning why Canadian security officials did not inform them that they had been the target of Beijing-linked hackers, after learning from the FBI that the international parliamentary alliance they are a part of was in the crosshairs of the Chinese cyberattack in 2021.
Norovirus is spreading at a 'higher frequency' than expected in Canada, specifically, in Ontario and Alberta, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods have thrown cold water on that.
Tobacco manufacturers have until Tuesday to ensure every king-size cigarette produced for sale in Canada has a health warning printed directly on it.
The clock is ticking ahead of the deadline to file a 2023 income tax return. A personal finance expert explains why you should get them done -- even if you owe more than you can pay.
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.