Policeman’s widow expresses anger, frustration at Richard Kachkar hearing

By Ginella Massa

The widow of a police officer who was mowed down seven years ago by a man driving a stolen snowplow says she’s frustrated and angry at a system that is deciding whether or not to let her husband’s killer go free.

Richard Kachkar appeared before an Ontario Review Board panel as part of an annual review on Friday, seeking a conditional discharge in the death of Sgt. Ryan Russell in 2011.

A visibly frustrated Christine Russell walked out of the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, calling the process unfair after she was told she could not read aloud much of her two-page victim impact statement at the hearing.

“They basically said I can’t say anything in my statement because the law says I’m not allowed to say these things and protect him from hearing my true feelings and it’s really offensive because I’m not allowed to say what I really feel,” said Russell.

“Why do I have to hear how you spend time with your daughter? My son doesn’t know his dad. Where is the equality and fairness in any of the system?”

Kachkar was found not criminally responsible in 2013 in the death of Russel after crushing him with a stolen snowplow. Psychiatrists diagnosed him with a mental illness akin to schizophrenia, saying his symptoms were more episodic than chronic. Now, after being on steady medication and having been granted the ability to live in a nearby apartment for the last year, his doctors and the crown are jointly recommending a conditional discharge.

“This process is unfair in so many ways,” said Russell, reading from her victim-impact statement. “It has all but forgotten that Ryan was murdered by this man. It’s all about how fast he can be pushed through the system and given the all clear. Where is the accountability in all this? Why are so many people working for him and speaking up for him while the victims family has zero advocates.”

Kachkar did not speak during the hearing with his doctor answering most of the questions. The panel heard how he has taken a positive approach to his treatment, is aware of what stressors to avoid and has had no psychotic episodes in the last year.

A psychiatrist for the facility says a conditional discharge after five years is not uncommon, pointing out not much will change for Kachkar.

“The hospital only puts forward recommendations we feel are appropriate,” said Andrew Morgan, a forensic psychiatrist at Ontario Shores.

“The person is still subject to a range of conditions that are put in place by the review board. These may include weapons prohibitions, taking treatment prescribed, not taking drugs drugs or alcohol as well as a frequency with which they report to the outpatient clinical team.”

Russell says the only thing that would bring her some peace would be the see Kachkar behind bars.

“You may be getting your freedom but you’ll always be a monster hiding amongst us.”

A decision on Kachkar’s request is expected within the next two weeks. Regardless of the decision, he will be required to appear before the ORB once a year.

Following is the complete victim-impact statement from Christine Russell:

NCR may mean not criminally responsible by law but you still remain a thief, a dangerous driver and a murderer in my eyes.

The health system made up of your lawyers, doctors and panel members, say it’s a primary concern to protect the public, well my family is a member of the public and not once have our pleas been heard or our rights respected. My experience thus far has shown me this system works entirely for the benefit of criminals with complete disregard for victims and their families.

I am disgusted that I have to make a request in advance to find out what new freedoms are being sought in order to prepare myself. Here I am July 11th finally hearing back. I am expected to provide my victim impact statement in advance, but you can’t extend the same courtesy.

This process is unfair in so many ways. It has all but forgotten that Ryan was murdered by this man. It’s all about how fast he can be pushed through the system and given the all clear.

Where is the his accountability in all this? Why are so many people working for him and speaking up for him while the victims family has Zero advocates. Why can’t he speak up and answer questions during these hearings?

If he is so rehabilitated or so ready to be part of society again, why is it impossible for him to apologize. All he does is hide and cower behind doctors and lawyers. It’s pathetic.

I can’t imagine the millions of tax payers money that have been wasted on you. That money would be better off spent on so many good things for communities, instead it’s wasted on a murderer. No doubt you will continue to drain the tax payers for the rest of your life

It’s a shame that this panel and these lawyers never sat through your trial to see just how violent and menacing you are and to hear about the many crimes you committed. To hear how my husband was brave enough to try to stop you and you killed him and left him there to die alone, on a street. To hear my husbands radio call and his last words. To hear how you drove that snowplow so recklessly. To hear about his my husbands injuries and to see graphic images of how his skull was broken and his brain stem severed. To hear how many officers it took to stop you that morning. To hear that tasering then shooting you was the only way to stop you. To know that you woke up in the hospital and the first thing you wanted was see if you were on tv! and then wrote a note which in my opinion proves you knew full well what you had done

You took away my love, my partner, and my best friend in the worst way possible. You took a father from a 2 year old boy. My son will never remember his Dad. Yes, he knows about his Dad and about you, and I certainly fear how this will impact him. It’s so unfair.

You may be getting your freedom but you will always be a monster hiding amongst us.

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