Notorious Murderer Seeks Release Via Faint Hope Clause
Posted January 16, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It was a crime that outraged the city and left many wondering about their own safety.
But it wasn’t a gang shooting downtown. And it wasn’t a drive-by from the Summer of the Gun.
This crime took place almost a quarter of a century ago. And now its echoes have returned to haunt the very system that once judged the man responsible.
In was back in 1982 after a dispute over an election at a Sikh Temple when Kuldip Singh Samra rose in an Osgoode Hall courtroom, took out a gun and began firing. By the time it was over, a lawyer and another man lay dead, while a third victim was left crippled for life.
After fleeing to India, Samra was finally located and brought back to stand trial for the cold blooded killings.
When he was sentenced to 25 years behind bars without parole, most thought the case was over.
They were wrong.
The killer returned to a Toronto courtroom Tuesday seeking to invoke the ‘faint hope clause,’ a rarely granted request that gives even the worst criminal a chance at setting a date for his freedom.
The idea outrages the families of the victims.
“It’s extremely difficult to hear how much he enjoys peace and studying and running – all of which my husband liked to do and can’t do anymore,” complains Regine Fonseca, the widow of lawyer Oscar Fonseca, who died that day.
Samra is now 59 and has been held captive for 15 years. He’s taking the opportunity the law allows to file for his chance at a future release date.
His lawyer claims a lot has happened to him in all those years.
“When you think about what 15 years is in the average life, how different is your life today than it was 15 years ago? There can be significant changes made,” claims Daniel Scully.
The case is being decided by a jury, but Samra will likely have to wait a little longer to find out if there’s any faint hope in his future. Proceedings may not be wrapped up for at least two weeks.
CityNews Rewind: The Osgoode Hall Shooting
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