The trouble with our justice and political system is typified in the sad case of shooting victim Louise Russo in Toronto eight years ago.

She was an innocent victim - in the wrong place at the wrong time - in a gangland 'hit' gone very, very wrong. She will spend life in a wheelchair while one of those responsible for putting here will soon enjoy freedom - a result of our flawed laws regarding sentencing and parole eligibility.

Pietro Scarcella, Paris Christoforou, Antonio Borrelli sprayed 20 rounds into a Toronto deli missing the intended target, Michele Modica, a connected member of the Gambino crime family and severed the spine of Russo, who was standing in line for a sandwich.

Scarella is a member of the Rizzuto clan in Montreal and long-connected to the Bonnano family. Christoforou is a full-patch member of the Hells Angels Toronto North chapter. Borelli is a convicted hit man for hire.

Next week, Scarella, who was convicted in 2006 of conspiracy in the shooting of Russo, will be released by Correctional Service of Canada on statutory release. This despite the fact he was the last person to see Toronto mobster Paul Volpe alive in 1983, who's killing solidified Nicky Rizzuto's control of the underworld in Montreal.

Scarella is a career criminal. There is no a chance he will do anything but return to his former life despite being on parole. Nil. None. Zip. Zilch. Yet, he is being allowed out of prison.

Russo is still in a wheelchair and will be for the rest of her life.

The incredibly naive, or perpetually stupid, National Parole Board, have set conditions that he must get a job, report to his parole officer all of his financial information, refrain from associating with individuals involved in criminal activity and from his co-accused.

Quite apart from his priest, it's doubtful Scarella knows anyone who is not involved in criminal activity.

That self-same parole board will likely release Christoforou after they meet next on his case. He is eligible for release on April 12.

So, we have epitomized, in this case, a career gangster engaged in a deliberate, targeted attempted murder, miss and permanently cripple an innocent bystander and serve a total of six years in jail. Then an oversight system that surely must know the hollowness of their conditions, release him to what, kill again?

As an accomplice, the federal government just cut $77 million from the justice budget as a follow up to its omnibus crime Bill C-10.

How can the prime minister signal he is tough on crime while cutting law enforcement funding and allowing the Liberal-creations like CSC and the NPB to continue with their self-serving stupidity as evidenced in this case?

Anyone?

Follow me on Twitter @primetimecrime

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Leo Knight

http://primetimecrime.com