Foerster murder trial

[Glacier]

A new trial has been ordered for the man convicted of first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Taylor Van Diest in Armstrong on Halloween night in 2011.

A panel of B.C. Court of Appeal justices unanimously agreed that two of five issues raised by for Mathew Foerster's lawyers were enough to require the case to go to trial for a second time.

Foerster, from Cherryville, was handed an automatic sentence of life in prison with no eligibility of parole for 25 years following a murder trial in Kelowna in April, 2014.

“There were two important errors in the judge’s charge to the jury,” said Justice Harvey Groberman, in a written decision issued on Tuesday.

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#190865

[kgcayenne]

Incredibly heartbreaking. Let us not wonder why, if vigilantism takes hold in our society.

[monroe]

Awsome. Another legal "money pit" being created by the appeals court.

At trial, Foerster admitted he was responsible for the injuries to Van Diest, but contended he was only guilty of manslaughter or second-degree murder.

Poor soul. At the very least, we're obligated to get this guy a shot at man slaughter?

[Highpoint Realty]

Purely lawyer, at the trough driven, paid for by the tax payers

[RVThereYet]

Why does Castanet have to post his picture as part of the article? Imagine being her family and going onto Castanet to check the weather or whatever and when they get there to have his ugly face grinning at them on the top page, totally unnecessary.

[Troutcreeker]

If a "judge' makes a mistake in giving his charges to the jury. Should he not be held accountable?

[dogspoiler]

CASTANET, putting that murdering, smirking scumbags picture on your site is as poor a display as I have seen on any news site anywhere, at anytime.
Start a poll to see how many of us would like to see those responsible terminated.

[Barney Google]

Another example of the fractured Justice/Judicial system Canada has.

What a horrible thing to drag the victims family, friends and community through...AGAIN!!!

Shameful.

I too agree that it is ill-tasteful to post the criminal's photo...no one needs to see that scumbag's face plastered in the news,

least of all those that knew and loved Miss Van Diest.

[Treblehook]

IMHO, anyone who supports this sicko creep in any way, shape or form, ought to give their head a shake. He deserves nothing but the time in jail imposed by the court in the first instance. We mustn't forget his criminal actions vis-a-vis the "escort" in Kelowna that would suggest his predatory nature. A reduction in the time for his parole eligibility would simply put him out there earlier so that he could prey on someone else's little girl.

[the truth]

CASTANET, putting that murdering, smirking scumbags picture on your site is as poor a display as I have seen on any news site anywhere, at anytime.
Start a poll to see how many of us would like to see those responsible terminated.

still waiting for the poll castanet

[GordonH]

Bumped
https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#208291
This piece of sh is getting another trial

[JayByrd]

The same prosecutor also handled the Neil Snelson case, which also went to a retrial for similar reasons. Though the issue in both cases was with the judge, not the Crown.

[RVThereYet]

CASTANET, putting that murdering, smirking scumbags picture on your site is as poor a display as I have seen on any news site anywhere, at anytime.
Start a poll to see how many of us would like to see those responsible terminated.

And they're doing it again today ...What a DISGUSTING way to get a few clicks. Put yourself into the families' shoes, one of whom might go to the site to check on something else and then see that smirking visage plastered all over the landing page. Show some respect for once!

ETA: If you must show his picture as part of the story, at least try get a shot of him in prison garb and handcuffs leaving court or something less offensive than what you've been using for the past few years and if you can't get anything different show a picture of the court house, even a picture of Taylor (RIP) would be better than that murdering @$$hat smirking at us.

[JayByrd]

ETA: If you must show his picture as part of the story, at least try get a shot of him in prison garb and handcuffs leaving court or something less offensive than what you've been using for the past few years and if you can't get anything different show a picture of the court house, even a picture of Taylor (RIP) would be better than that murdering @$$hat smirking at us.

You can't take a picture of the guy in the courtroom, and they likely don't have access to him at any other time. I think the whole point of the picture they use is to make him look as sleazy as possible, to get people riled up.

That said, when high-profile cases like this happen, it's pretty sad to see reporters limited to whatever background info they can find on Google, or doing the ol' "right click, save as" on the suspect's Facebook page. So much for actual investigation. Or, you know, talking to people.

[GordonH]

Hopefully this murderer does not get another chance to waste taxpayers money on yet another trial.