Edmonton drug dealer gets break on sentencing to avoid deportation to Vietnam

This should have been posted in the jokes section.

I had to think about this one for a while. In the final analysis, I think the judge did the right thing in this particular instance.

Deportation to Vietnam would result in a 99% chance of execution, a sentence not warranted base on the type of crime committed in Canada (or the US, for that matter). In a Canadian prison, there's probably the chance that he can receive treatment/therapy for his addiction with a chance, although slim, that he can be "turned around", so to speak.

This was likely a difficult deliberation for the judge, also.

I would have described him as a drug addict too, if I were his lawyer. Makes him "victim", doesn't it.
Fact remains, which you KNOW when you apply for residency in Canada, that when you participate in crime, you will be sent back.

Apparently, not so much.

Coke, anyone? I need a little extra income...

Certainly it does seem like a manipulation of the "system", but- does a death sentence fit the crime ? I think not.

It's a very odd circumstance. I can't find myself in disagreement at all on the deportation for criminals end of it but I don't disagree with the judge saving the man's hide from a death sentence.

Still keeping a convicted drug dealer in Canada seems stupid. I don't see why he didn't impose huge community service on top of the two years less a day.

This is a tough one. I don't think the guy deserves a death sentence, but I also don't think we should be harbouring coke dealers. It sends a dangerous message that Canada will protect foreign criminals. It's not really any of our business what the Vietnamese government wants to do with its citizens, is it? He's not a refugee, so I say bounce him back to Vietnam. We can pin a "Please don't execute me" sign to his orange cover-alls but, ultimately, he's Vietnam's problem not ours.

Either give him the sentence he deserves, and then don't deport him without assurances from Vietnam that he would not be executed, or give him this sentence with a lengthy parole period afterward. If he breaks parole, no second chance, it's buh bye.

Sorry Lemmy but your busted for not reading the article thoroughly enough:

"An later escaped captivity and ended up a political refugee in a camp in Indonesia, said Hladun, adding he eventually was accepted into Canada under refugee status."

He is in fact a refugee.

The fact that he was caught twice for trying to sell to the SAME undercover agent, kind of makes me think he's more addict than dealer...

If he was a bigtime operator, or had commited a violent offense I'd say ship him out. As it is, death would be a little harsh.

Reading the headline, I certainly would have supported his deportation, but once I read the entire story, I understand and support the judge's decision. However, as CJ said above, he should have tacked on a long term of community service in place of a long jail term.

FYI, this is highly typical of the Edmonton Sun - sensationalize something as a crime against humanity and then bury most the details at the end of the article.

I think it is funny that he "does not deserve a death sentence". No offense, but Canada is not giving him a death sentence. The "defense lawyer has information" that he will be executed in Vietnam over escaping being a POW 37 years ago in North Vietnam. And South Vietnam is not protecting you then?

I agree with Andy. Give him the sentence he deserves.

We don't agree about sending him back to face a death sentence.

What does "And South Vietnam is not protecting you then?" mean?

When Canada abolished the death penalty, we also decided not to deport anyone to any country where they might be executed. By shipping him back to Vietnam, we are enabling another state to execute him.

We had a major uproar when the US deported Arar to Syria where he was tortured (because they couldn't do it themselves legally), so how is sending someone back to a country to be executed any different?

Sorry, if other nations want to execute people that's their prerogative, but we shouldn't be helping them do it.

There is no South Vietnam, Brenda. We lost that one, remember ?