How would you feel if your DNA was used to convict a family member? Last week, news consumers were divided on the use of this tactic to identify and arrest Ibrahim Ali who was recently convicted of the murder and sexual assault of a 13 year old victim in 2017 in Burnaby. Investigators went undercover […] The post Genealogical DNA and Ethics in Law first appeared on Tarnow Criminal Law ..read more

In the age of social media, iPhones, and live streaming capabilities with the touch of a button, we’re able to get a firsthand look at how the police pursue suspects and conduct arrests, providing valuable insight and accountability. On the flipside, we also get an eyewitness account of the struggles police face from civilian interference. […] The post Obstruction: When does it become a criminal offence? first appeared on Tarnow Criminal Law ..read more

On May 1, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued an Order in Council immediately banning the use, sale and transport of approximately 1,500 “assault” style firearms.  This action was met with criticism from firearm owners, retailers and pro-gun advocates from across the country. A two-year amnesty period for restricted firearm owners will expire on April ..read more

The internet is a precarious place. We buy, we sell, we talk – and we post. And while that’s all fine and good, it isn’t without consequence. Facebook launched in 2004, and since that time Canadian Courts have addressed and analyzed evidence obtained through Facebook and other social media platforms. Recently, in a 2-1 decision ..read more

As we’ve spoken about in previous posts, overrepresentation of Indigenous offenders in the Canadian Correctional System is both disturbing and rampant – making up approximately 30% of all inmates – despite accounting for only 5% of Canada’s population. Within the past decade, the Courts have recognized that this overrepresentation encompasses many factors – including the ..read more

Whenever incidents relating to terrorism in Canada hit the news, the eyes of Canadians widen with revolt. Recent headlines elicited a similar response, with a healthy dose of confusion and curiosity added to the mix.   On September 21, 2020, criminal charges were announced against 25 year old Ontario resident Shehroze Chaudhry – but not ..read more

Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms grants all Canadians the fundamental right of freedom of expression – but as one young man in Markham, Ontario learned this week, the Charter also permits the enforcement of reasonable limits on expression.   18 year old Tristan Stronach, a grade 12 student, was charged ..read more

It has been six years since Matthew de Grood was charged with the murders of five young people at a house party in Calgary, Alberta, and four years since he was found to be Not Criminally Responsible for those offences. It was concluded that de Grood was suffering from delusions, attributed to undiagnosed schizophrenia, when ..read more

In one of our previous posts, we discussed biometric technology and the role it plays in Canadian law enforcement. It is, however, only one of the “predictive” tools utilized by the police in relation to criminal investigations. A new report by the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto goes into alarming detail regarding growth of algorithmic ..read more

Over the last couple of months, there has been outcry from the public urging the use of BWC’s (Body Worn Cameras) for Canadian law enforcement. Although initially in response to the growing unrest relating to police brutality in the United States, there are echoes of abandoned intentions from Canadian officials dating back at least a ..read more