Roy Green: Former NHL star seeks to block release of parents’ killer
Jul 12, 2011 – 10:41 AM ET | Last Updated: Jul 12, 2011 11:06 AM ET
“At one time I was a very proud Canadian. In 1981, I was asked to represent my country in sports competition as a member of Team Canada. Standing on the ice in the Montreal Forum, listening to the national anthem being played, the tenor voice of Roger Doucet singing, with my parents watching, that moment in time had special meaning. I know they were proud.” — Words from Don Edwards victim’s impact statement.
This week the former Buffalo Sabres star goaltender and co-winner of the Vezina trophy appears with his family before the Parole Board of Canada. Don and Tannis Edwards and their children will deliver a plea for rejection of any form of prison release for George Harding Lovie, convicted of the March,1991 murders of Don’s parents Donna and Arnold Edwards and the attempted murder of his sister Michele.
Michele had begun to date George Lovie in 1990. After a short period she attempted to break off the relationship. Lovie took Michele hostage for six hours, raping her repeatedly. Arrested, Lovie appeared before a non-legally trained justice of the peace who — despite Lovie’s record of convictions for assault — granted bail. George Lovie was instructed not to contact his victim. No prohibition on firearms ownership was issued.
Was the justice of the peace even aware Lovie was in possession of a Firearms Acquisition Certificate? Unencumbered by any restriction, George Lovie purchased a rifle and ammunition.
On March 21, 1991, George Harding Lovie attempted to abduct Michele Edwards at her home. She managed to escape and ran across the street to the home of her parents. Lovie followed. He almost immediately shot Donna to death. Then he repeatedly and fatally stabbed Arnold. A desperate 911 call hears Arnold Edwards pleading “leave my family alone” and Lovie shouting “How do you like me now, do you like me now, do you like me now”?
Later the same day Don Edwards entered a house usually filled with joyous childhood memories. His impact statement describes the scene. “Bullet holes were riddled through the cupboards, sink, window and walls. The counter spattered, the floor smeared and saturated with a large pool of moist blood. A clear reminder of where my father had fought for his life, took his last breath while repeatedly being stabbed to death.”
Twenty years distant, George Lovie remains a fearful presence in the lives of the Edwards family. From Tannis Edwards’ impact statement: “our son fears for his safety so much that he wants this offender to only be able to recognize him as he looked when he was five years old.”
To the Edwards, their victims’ impact statements represent the sole possibility to speak to their pain while honouring the memory of Donna and Arnold before a hopefully attentive criminal justice system.
How caring is the system?
An e-mail from Don and Tannis details communication from the Parole Board of Canada to the Edwards.
“Victims have no avenue for appeal. Only the offender can appeal.
It is the offender’s right to receive our victim impact statements 15 days prior to the hearing. We do not have any right to see the offender’s statement or any other statement prior to the hearing.
We are granted no access to a record of the offender’s behaviour or actions since incarceration.
Very disturbing is the indication from the parole board’s communications officer that some of our victims impact statements may possibily be omitted due to length and graphic detail. I continue to call and attempt to get answers. The communications officer said perhaps the night before the hearing we would know something.”
The Edwards may also not know the nature of George Harding Lovie’s parole request.
Don and Tannis Edwards impression, like that of other crime victims, is that they are considered an irritant and/or nuisance presence.
Don Edwards is a shell of the man Tannis married and his fellow Buffalo Sabres and Team Canada players knew. This from Tannis Edwards’ victims impact statement: “My husband continues to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and his symptoms have resurfaced. Don struggles to focus and is unable to concentrate on simple everyday tasks. He is impatient, irritable, unhappy, distant, and nothing seems to spark his humour.”
Perhaps the Parole Board of Canada will consider those words inflammatory and choose to excise them from the record. The parole board communications officer’s warning would lead one to suspect censorship of the Edwards victims’ impact statements will likely occur.
I have read the statements. They chronicle the suffering of a Canadian family. To strip them of even one word would be an official and sanctioned compounding of cruelty.
National Post
Roy Green hosts a weekend news talk program nationally on the Corus radio network. Read more here.
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