JOHN PAUL ROBY, ROT IN HELL ...
by Timothy Rollins
With
the welcome news last week of the death of Maple Leaf Gardens and Canadian prison
inmate/child molester John Paul Roby, the second tragic chapter of this pathetic
and unforgivable trilogy has come to its miserable end.
.jpg)
Last
Thursday, Roby (shown, right) was discovered in his cell complaining of chest
pains. Taken to the hospital wing of Kingston (Ontario) Penitentiary, he died
before the called ambulance arrived. Given the notoriety of Roby and his dangerous
offender status, one cannot help but wonder that (a), the ambulance crew knew
who they were picking up; and (b), that there are probably some among Roby's
victims who wouldn't blame the ambulance crew if they were to have decided to
take their dear sweet time in getting there.
For
my readers in the United States, allow me to bring you up to speed somewhat.
In a previous article “What
Is Wrong With This Picture?” that was written back in February, I outlined
the release of Gordon Stuckless, the second of three pedophiles in the child
molester ring at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Stuckless was released after
serving two-thirds of a five-year federal sentence after striking a deal with
the Crown. The first pedophile of the ring, George Hannah, died before police
could get to him.
In exchange for his testimony, Stuckless’ co-defendant John Paul Roby was declared a “dangerous offender”, which in Canadian legal parlance meant he would never get out of prison and it is only through that designation that someone in Canada can be locked up for good. “Life” in Canada merely means an extended trip of 15-25 years at most – it takes a “dangerous offender” designation to keep them in the hole permanently. Up to and through 1996, only approximately 231 people of all of Canada's worst apples have been classified as “dangerous offenders” under the Criminal Code of Canada.
.jpg)
.jpg)
The
original sentence for Stuckless (photo, left) had been two years less a day
to be served in provincial jail rather than in federal prison where sentences
of over two years are served; however, Martin Kruze (pictured, right), the courageous
yet troubled young man who blew the lid off the Maple Leaf Gardens scandal when
he went public with what happened over what turned out to be an almost 20-year
period, committed suicide by doing a two-and-a-half gainer off the Bloor Street
viaduct when he learned of the slap on the wrist that Stuckless received. Kind
of makes you wonder why the Maple Leafs organization was oblivious to this situation
for so long, but then again, with the now late Harold Ballard for an owner and
their win-loss record as pathetic as it was for so long during that period,
it's not all that hard to figure out why.
On appeal from the Crown, Stuckless’ sentence was extended to five years. The reason the Feds gave for Stuckless’ early release this year was they felt it necessary in order to maintain some level of supervision on Stuckless for the remainder of his sentence. Had he served his full sentence behind bars, he would have walked away supervision-free at the end of his sentence.
I mentioned that Roby’s death was the close of the second chapter of the trilogy that is so much a part of this tragedy. George Hannah, the first ring of this three-ring pedophile circus, died before police could question him regarding his involvement, thus saving taxpayers the expense of a trial and court-appointed counsel, not to mention incarceration. Roby’s death now closes the second part. One of his victims/survivors – now 34, put it best when he said, “Good riddance!”
Another of Roby's victims, now 37, said recently that he was just putting his life together more than 20 years after Roby molested him. He used his $150,000 settlement from the Gardens to pay off debts and buy a house, saying, “I feel good right now, but I don't know if I can ever fully get over the evil that man put me through.”
The problem not only in Canada, but also the United States and I'm sure in other countries as well, continues to be the comparatively soft treatment given to sex offenders. The fact is that sex offenses are not about sex: they are about power, control and the complete and abject humiliation and degradation of their victims. As I see it, they fall into two categories – heterosexual pedophiles and homosexual pedophiles. While many states are taking some positive steps as far as registries go, it is not enough – not by a long shot.
As mentioned in previous columns, I don't feel prison sentences are enough for most pedophiles. Like Murder 1 victims for whom no adequate restitution can be made and for whom their killers should be put to death in a manner prescribed by law, so should it be with those who sexually abuse our children, society's most trusting and yet its most innocent victims.
The closing of the third and final chapter of the trilogy will come when the world is informed of the death of Gordon Stuckless. I, for one will not lose any sleep when that happens, nor will any of his victims nor their families.
As for the epilog of this sad tale: Even after all three of these molesters have died (and Stuckless’ death will not be soon enough as far as I’m concerned), their victims and their families will be dealing with the pain and devastation of their actions to the third and fourth generations and beyond – and that is why I am in favor of making the death penalty mandatory for Child Sex Abuse in the 1st degree. New York would do well to add this to Article 22B of the Corrections Law, California would do well to make this a capital offense as well as they are a bellwether of things to come nationwide, as would Texas.
In the 25 years I’ve been involved with the legal profession in one capacity or another, I’ve learned one inescapable truth, and that is pedophilia defies rehabilitation. Why should these animals be rewarded with free room and board, clothing and cable television, not to medical and dental benefits with absolutely no deductibles - all at the expense of you and me, the taxpayer? Heck, most people employed in the private sector do not have benefits anywhere near as comprehensive as prison inmates do – benefits that rival Microsoft, for crying out loud. Kind of makes you wonder what their real reason for going to prison is.
George Hannah is dead. One down! John Paul Roby is now dead. Two down! Now all we need is for Gordon Stuckless to either take himself out or die from natural causes, and we will ironically accomplish the ultimate “hat trick.”
Having seen firsthand the devastating long-term effects of sexual abuse in both children and adults I have known – especially as they became adults, this is what I have to say as to present and future pedophiles: All I ask of you sick, pathetic, abusive and misguided animals is this: Do society a favor and seriously contemplate suicide before doing harm to innocents. Nobody deserves to be abused – especially in so heinous a manner.
So if you are inclined to harm someone else in so vicious and insidious a manner, lead by example and take yourself out first. ***
© 2001 Timothy Rollins
COPYRIGHT © 2001 BY THE AMERICAN PARTISAN. All writers retain rights to their work.