# data[].attributes.body
Criminal Law is the branch of law that relates to crime. Criminal Law is concerned with the punishments of individuals who commit unlawful acts or omissions called crimes (Cornell Law School, 2018). Crime is seen as a breakdown in the social order and safety/security of all Canadians (Olivo, 2016)

# data[].attributes.body
below is a video that explains the two elements that need to be proven without a doubt to constitute a crime.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elements of Crime (Mens Rea, Actus Reus)

# data[].attributes.body
Murder is considered first-degree when the death that is caused is intentional, or planned and deliberate (Olivo, 2016). In the popular Toronto case of Bruce McArthur, he deliberately murdered a multitude of men between the years of 2010 and 2017 before eventually being caught. In February 2019, McArthur pleaded guilty to eight counts of first degree murder. Typically, a first degree murder charge constitutes for a life long sentence of 25 years without parole, but in McArthur's case, the crown lawyers had asked the judge to hand down a sentence that lasted 50 years minimum (CBC, 2019).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Serial killer Bruce McArthur will be eligible to apply for parole after spending at least 25 years in prison for the murders of eight men in Toronto, a judge ordered on Friday.

McArthur, 67, will be 91 when his first chance at parole comes up.

In his sentencing decision, Ontario Superior Court Justice John McMahon noted the gruesomeness of McArthur's crimes, but said there is a "fine line between retribution and vengeance."

He also told the packed University Avenue courtroom that there is very little chance the former landscaper will ever be granted parole.

Bruce McArthur is a sexual predator and killer who lured his victims and ended up killing them for his own warped and sick gratification. - Ontario Superior Court Justice John McMahon

Last week, McArthur pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of eight men between 2010 and 2017. Most of the victims, as well as McArthur himself, had deep ties to Toronto's Gay Village neighbourhood.

First-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no parole for 25 years, but until today, the question remained whether he would be sentenced to consecutive periods of parole ineligibility.

Crown lawyers had asked the judge to hand down a sentence that would ensure McArthur would have to serve at least 50 years in prison.

While McMahon said the murders were "pure evil" and the harsher sentence would have been "symbolic," he cited McArthur's guilty plea - which saved victim's families and the community at large from "enduring a graphic public trial" - and his age as reasons for his decision.

McMahon said that while McArthur took responsibility by pleading guilty, "there has been no evidence of remorse" from him during his interactions with police.

"Bruce McArthur is a sexual predator and killer who lured his victims and ended up killing them for his own warped and sick gratification," he said.

Furthermore, McMahon said, he believes McArthur "would have kept killing" had he not been apprehended by police in January 2018 after months of surveillance.

Family and friends of McArthur's victims addressed the court, giving impact statements, during the first two days of the sentencing hearing earlier this week. Some also spoke this afternoon to media outside the courthouse.

A 36-page agreed statement of facts read out in court on Monday disclosed that McArthur restrained and strangled at least some of his victims. He also kept images of his victims, both alive and dead, in eight digital files stored on a computer in his Thorncliffe Park apartment.

"These men, sadly, did not die a quick and painless death," McMahon said Friday.

When he was arrested, court heard that officers found a man tied to McArthur's bed. Police later found another folder on McArthur's computer labelled with the man's name that contained images of him.

In a number of instances, victims had been posthumously staged before the photographs were taken, which McMahon said was "no doubt for [McArthur's] perverted form of sexual gratification."

Remains of seven of the men were found in five garden planters at a mid-Toronto home where McArthur had worked and stored his landscaping tools. Remains of another man were found buried in a ravine at back of the property.

McMahon said McArthur's ability to repeatedly decapitate and dismember his victims was an aggravating factor. He also noted McArthur specifically targeted people living on the margins of society.

As part of his sentence, McArthur will be added to the sex offender's registry and is banned from contacting his victims' families. Throughout the week in court, McArthur appeared sullen, said little, and wore a plaid shirt and black sweater each day. When court adjourned, he was led out in handcuffs.

'It's not enough'

In a statement, Crown lawyers thanked police investigators for their work on the case and said they hope McArthur's sentence "will assist our community in beginning a new chapter of healing."

"This is a crime of stark horror. The murder of eight of our citizens has impacted many: family, chosen family, the LGBT community, and the city in which we live and work," the statement read.

There is no closure. There is no grace. This community is broken and it's going to be broken for a long, long time. - Nicole Borthwick, friend of Andrew Kinsman

McMahon similarly addressed the profound effect McArthur's arrest and subsequent sentencing has had on Toronto's LGBT community.

"His crimes have instilled fear and distrust," McMahon told the court. "It will never be the same."

Outside the courthouse, family and friends of some of the victims expressed anger and frustration that the judge did not hand McArthur the harshest possible sentence.

"It's not enough for the families, it's not enough for the lives lost and it's not enough for the community," said Nicole Borthwick, a friend of Andrew Kinsman. Kinsman was the last man to be killed by McArthur, in the summer of 2017. He was 49 years old.

"There is no closure. There is no grace. This community is broken and it's going to be broken for a long, long time," Borthwick continued.
Watch a friend of the victims react to McArthur's sentence:
​McArthur also pleaded guilty to the murders of Selim Esen, 44, Majeed Kayhan, 58, Dean Lisowick, 47, Soroush Mahmudi, 50, Skandaraj Navaratnam, 40, Abdulbasir Faizi, 44 and Kirushna Kanagaratnam, 37.

A memorial for the men will be held at Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto on Sunday evening. Reverend Deena Dudley said there is a "sense of relief" that the legal proceedings are over and hopes there may be some healing moving forward.

"It has traumatized a lot of people. I think the only redemptive thing that I can think of coming out of this, is that we use this as an experience to learn from," she said.

Police chief stands behind investigation

James Dubro, a writer and longtime LGBT activist, said "people are outraged" by the thought McArthur could, in theory, eventually apply for parole.

Dubro is among a group of advocates calling for a public inquiry into Toronto police's handling of the investigation into McArthur, something that has drawn sharp criticism from some corners of the LGBT community.

People who frequent the Gay Village say they suspected for years that a serial killer was preying on gay men in the area. Some have alleged their concerns were downplayed or outright ignored by police.
Watch a top detective on the case pinpoint what helped to crack the McArthur investigation:
At a news conference at Toronto police headquarters, Chief Mark Saunders and two detectives who led the probe into McArthur said they were satisfied with the sentence.

"I do not see Bruce McArthur seeing daylight again. I do not see him in a public setting again," said Saunders. "Life will mean life."

Saunders drew considerable ire for his public comments in December 2017, when he said investigators had no evidence of a serial killer. McArthur was arrested just over a month later.

On Friday, Saunders defended the statement, saying once more that it was accurate given what was known by police at the time. Earlier this month, it was revealed an officer who arrested, questioned and released McArthur in connection with an assault in 2016 is now facing disciplinary charges.

Saunders said the force will work with the Toronto Police Services Board to explore any possible deficiencies in the investigation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Serial killer Bruce McArthur gets life with no parole chance till he's 91 for 'pure evil' murders | CBC News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Serial killer Bruce McArthur will be eligible to apply for parole after spending at least 25 years in prison for the murders of eight men in Toronto, an Ontario Superior Court judge ordered on Friday during the 67-year-old former landscaper's sentencing hearing.

# data[].attributes.body
McArthur earned his living as a landscaper working on over 30 properties, and had a persistent target for the Toronto gay village. It originally took police a while to identify all the men that McArthur had taken the life of, and police are still not fully done working out all the details. However, as it stands today McArthur is charged with eight counts of first-degree murder and will serve a 50 year life sentence (CNN, 2019).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
bruce mcarthur case: toronto serial killer sentenced to life in prison  - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Toronto serial killer Bruce McArthur sentenced to life in prison

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bruce McArthur, a landscaper and former mall Santa who killed and dismembered eight men between 2010 and 2017, was sentenced Friday to life in prison, according to CNN network partner CTV News.

# data[].attributes.body
Elements of Crime: Mens Rea, Actus Reus. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgE1rp8Q2LY

Gross Negligence Manslaughter. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JNWSDnwF_A

Handcuff photo retrieved from https://stream.org/wp-content/uploads/arrest-handcuff-400.jpg

Powers, L. (2019). Serial killer Bruce McArthur will have a chance of parole in 25 years, when he's 91, judge rules. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/bruce-mcarthur-sentence-parole-eligibility-1.5009291

Olivo, L. (2016). Introduction to Law in Canada. Ontario: Captus Press.

Sanchez, R. (2019). Toronto serial killer Bruce McArthur sentenced to life in prison. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/08/us/bruce-mcarthur-toroto-serial-killer-sentencing/index.html

Schubert, J. (2019). Property Crime: Definition, Types, & Statistics. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/property-crime-definition-types-statistics.html

Thomson, A. (2019). Nicolas Butcher found guilty of second degree murder. Retrieved from https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/nicholas-butcher-found-guilty-of-second-degree-murder-1.3906397

"What is Criminal Law" image retrieved from https://image.slidesharecdn.com/criminallaw-131214205716-phpapp01/95/criminal-law-means-of-social-control-2-638.jpg?cb=1387054713

Vehicle photo retrieved from http://i2.asntown.net/5/getaway_car_mercedes.jpg

# data[].attributes.body
Homicide is an act that directly or indirectly causes the death of another person. Homicide can be blame-worthy or non blameworthy, meaning it is still the responsibility of the perpetrator even if they did not intend to commit the crime. Homicide can be anything from direct murder, to manslaughter and infanticide (Olivo, 2016).

# data[].attributes.body
If the court can prove that you are indeed guilty of helping the primary offender commit a crime, or giving him advice or knowledge on how to do so, you may also be charged with the crimes (Olivo, 2016).

# data[].attributes.body
In the instance where murder is intentional but not premeditated, it is classified as second-degree murder (Olivo, 2016). This can be seen in the case of Butcher V. Johnson, where Butcher murders his girlfriend (Johnson) after a domestic dispute. Butcher gets charged with second-degree murder due to how his girlfriends death was deliberate, but not planned. Butcher still got sentenced to life sentence of 25 years, with eligibility for parole after serving 15 (CTV, 2018).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
HALIFAX -- A jury has found Nicholas Butcher guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Kristin Johnston, rejecting his claim that he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed the Montreal-born yoga instructor to death.

The 12-member Nova Scotia Supreme Court jury delivered its verdict Saturday after five hours of deliberation over two days.

Butcher, 36, showed no emotion as the verdict was read. Friends of Johnston could be heard sniffling in the courtroom, as Butcher sat at his lawyer's bench and looked directly forward.

A second-degree murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence. A hearing to determine Butcher's parole eligibility is scheduled for July 20.

Butcher was charged with second-degree murder after police found Johnston's body next to a steak knife on a blood-soaked bed inside her Halifax-area home on March 26, 2016.

Crown lawyer Carla Ball said it's been a stressful two years for Johnston's family and friends, but "justice has been done.

"Domestic violence is not something that is unusual, unfortunately. We can say that it's a tragic event for everyone involved," said Ball, standing alongside fellow prosecutor Tanya Carter.

"In this case, the evidence was very clear that Mr. Butcher was responsible."

Butcher, a law school graduate who wasn't able to find work in his field, was living with Johnston at the time of her death.

The jury heard that he called 911 and told the dispatcher he had killed his girlfriend and tried to kill himself. He also cut off his right hand with a mitre saw, but it was surgically reattached.

The Crown had argued Butcher deliberately killed Johnston, 32, after realizing their relationship was deteriorating.

The jury heard that in the weeks, days and hours leading up to her death, Johnston told friends she wanted to break up with Butcher. The Crown suggested that Butcher read some of those messages on the evening of March 25, 2016 when he accessed Johnston's computer, and realized Johnston wanted to end their relationship.

In the early hours of March 26, Johnston was hanging out at an old friend's apartment when Butcher showed up there unexpectedly.

Friends who were also there that night testified that Johnston and Butcher stepped outside together, and she came back in alone, telling them she had broken up with Butcher.

Butcher returned to the apartment a second time, and found Johnston kissing her old friend, Michael Belyea.

Hours later, Johnston was dead.

Ball suggested Butcher stabbed Johnston to death and then tried to kill himself with the same knife before cutting off his right hand with a mitre saw.

"This case is about a man who had significant financial challenges. He was highly educated, but underemployed. It caused him significant upsets leading up to March 25, 2016," said Ball during her closing arguments Thursday, referring to Butcher's $200,000 debt from law school.

"And if that wasn't enough... he realized that the investment that he put into the relationship with Kristin Johnston deteriorated in a blink of an eye. These factors built up like a constellation until he decided that if he could not have Kristin Johnston, no one else could have her."

Medical examiner Dr. Marnie Wood testified that Johnston's death was caused by sharp force injuries, and that she had "defensive injuries" on her hands and fingers.

But taking the stand in his own defence, Butcher argued that Johnston had attacked him, and that he was acting in self-defence when he killed her.

Butcher -- the defence's only witness -- testified it was dark and he couldn't see who it was, but managed to grab the knife and lash out, realizing seconds later he had killed Johnston.

"I reached over and I turned on the lamp, and the person that was beneath me was Kristin and she was dead," said Butcher earlier this month, breaking into tears.

"I just killed her by accident, just not even knowing what's going on."

Johnston, whose brother owned a Bikram yoga studio in her hometown of Montreal, came to Halifax in 2011 with dreams of opening her own studio.

She was quickly embraced by the local yoga community, becoming known as a kind and determined businesswoman with a magnetic personality. Despite her passion, Johnston's studio shuttered about a month before her death.

Friends testified that Johnston wanted to leave her Halifax life behind, and was "ready for a new chapter" in Tofino, B.C., where her sister lived.

The defence argued that Johnston was under intense stress following the closing of her business, and snapped on Butcher because he was getting "in the way" of her plan to rekindle a relationship with Belyea.

Defence lawyer Peter Planetta said the guilty verdict "was not the outcome (Butcher) was hoping for." He said it's too early to say whether Butcher will appeal.

The jury heard from 32 witnesses over 14 court days.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nicholas Butcher found guilty of second-degree murder

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
HALIFAX -- A jury has found Nicholas Butcher guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Kristin Johnston, rejecting his claim that he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed the Montreal-born yoga instructor to death. The 12-member Nova Scotia Supreme Court jury delivered its verdict Saturday after five hours of deliberation over two days.

# data[].attributes.body
Offences involving property are the most popular within criminal law. This can include things such as theft, trespassing and breaking and entering (Olivo, 2016).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Is Property Crime?

Property crime includes crimes that are not directed specifically at individual people. Rather, these crimes are aimed at property. With property crime, property may be destroyed or defaced in some way. Usually people aren't injured since the intent is typically focused on obtaining or defacing the property in question, but it's possible that individuals may be harmed, as in the case of arson.

There are numerous types of property crime, including:

Let's look at each of these in a bit more detail.

Burglary, Theft, & Larceny

There are different types of burglary, but in general, burglary is the unlawful breaking and entering of someone's property, such as their home. However, burglary can also occur when one illegally trespasses on private property. Theft is the unlawful taking of another individual's personal property. Personal property can include items from someone's home or wallet or the theft of one's motor vehicle. Larceny is the unlawful taking of property from another person to use the property for personal use.

Trespass, Vandalism, & Arson

Trespass is the unlawful entry into another individual's property. Trespass can also include building a fence on the property line of another person's property. Vandalism is the willful destruction of property without permission of the property owner. This can include breaking of windows, graffiti, or destruction of the foundation of the property. Arson is the malicious, intentional burning of a building or other structure. Sometimes, arson results in the death of individuals inside the building, which makes it a very serious form of property crime.

Statistics

Now, let's look at some statistics related to property crime.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
types & statistics - video & lesson transcript | study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Property Crime: Definition, Types & Statistics - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Property crime includes crimes that are not directed specifically at individual people. Rather, these crimes are aimed at property. With property crime, property may be destroyed or defaced in some way. Usually people aren't injured since the intent is typically focused on obtaining or defacing the property in question, but it's possible that individuals may be harmed, as in the case of arson.

# data[].attributes.body
Manslaughter is considered culpable homicide, and can be classified under voluntary or involuntary manslaughter. Voluntary manslaughter occurs when the intent exists but after significant provocation, and involuntary manslaughter is when the intent is not there, but the individual is often being criminally negligent (Olivo, 2016).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gross Negligence Manslaughter - A2 Criminal Law

# data[].attributes.body
Sometimes, a majority of a society decriminalizes something that would usually be criminal due to how often people take part in the action, with little to no repercussions to themselves or society. This can be seen in things like recreational marijuana use before it was legal, as well as jaywalking (Olivo, 2016).

# data[].attributes.body
In a general sense, Canadian Law does not hold people criminally responsible for a guilty mind if there is no accompanying crime associated. This can be seen in the case of attempts to commit a crime, but not successfully doing so, as well as conspiracy to commit a crime, which is essentially planning to commit a crime. These people can be charged the same way as somebody who successfully committed the crime (Olivo, 2016).