Foerster murder trial

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

He got charged. With First Degree.

[Bpeep]

I think you have to have more than "just" one murder and a couple of sexual assaults for Dangerous offender. Unless he's hiding more bodies (Was Taylor the first?), he may be a predator, but he's a "fledgling" predator. So all they can do is temporarily clip his wings. At some point they will have to release him, say in 15 or so years. maybe under supervision, but that doesn't last forever,and for good behavior it might be checking in once a week or once a month. He can go back to his old ways, but he will be much much more careful. I don't believe these guys change their mental makeup just from being in jail for 15 or 20 years.

Oh come on. Fledgling predator?
More than just one murder?
Give your head a shake.

[rustled]

The jury has found Matthew Foerster guilty of first degree murder.

He will serve a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

Stronger sentence than a lot of us feared.

[camdd]

I am so thankful that the jury saw fit to convict him of First Degree Murder - it certainly seemed clear to me that this was the only appropriate conclusion from all news reports on the subject. Thank you, jury members, for seeing thru the ridiculous arguments the defense lawyer tried to sell to them. Very pleased!!

[kurtan]

Justice served. Glad i was wrong!!!

[GordonH]

Good to see justice being served for Taylor Van Diest

[Symbonite]

Death Penalty would be better...but hey this is canada...we give killers more rights than a homeless persone inc dental and health food and shelter.

[Andy S]

Thank you Wanderer for pointing out the CCC ruling on detention credits in cases such as this, didn't know.
As several posters have commented, the defense counsel worded points, and what if's, out in the far side.
I see each juror closing their eyes, and imagining - and imaging, what really happened in Armstrong - many times. I have.
Thus, the jury did Taylor's loved ones, and you and I, well.

It makes me very sad to see parents outlive a child. My deepest sympathy to them as they return home...

[Silverstarqueen]

Thankfully the jury did the right thing. With mandatory sentencing, at least he will be on ice for a good long while. I hope the additional charges tack on a few extra years to his sentence when they get through the courts.

[Piecemaker]

Even though the verdict is just, it doesn't seem like justice when a life was needlessly taken and a family will forever mourn. Justice in my mind would have been Foerster "slipping on the tracks and falling onto a metal pipe", which is what his lawyer suggested happened to Taylor Van Diest.

[MattJ]

While it's great that he was sentenced for the charge that he was brought up on, I can already see the appeal based on ineffective assistance of counsel.

[MattJ]

He got charged. With First Degree.

No, he got convicted. Of First Degree. He was already charged with first degree when he was brought to court.

[zookeeper]

Even though the verdict is just, it doesn't seem like justice when a life was needlessly taken and a family will forever mourn. Justice in my mind would have been Foerster "slipping on the tracks and falling onto a metal pipe", which is what his lawyer suggested happened to Taylor Van Diest.

I disagree, I hope for the next 25 years he dreams a horror every night. Death for him would be the easy way out.

[Piecemaker]

You missed the implication Zoo that if he had "slipped and fell on the pipe", she would still be alive.

I also doubt that he will dream of any horror with regard to what he did. In his mind it was her fault he "had to kill her because she wouldn't keep quiet" while he was attempting to sexually assault her.

[zookeeper]

You missed the implication Zoo that if he had "slipped and fell on the pipe", she would still be alive.

I also doubt that he will dream of any horror with regard to what he did. In his mind it was her fault he "had to kill her because she wouldn't keep quiet" while he was attempting to sexually assault her.

I did, yes. You missed the implication of the horrors he would be dreaming about.