June, 2013. It was around this time that policies changed in the realm of bail supervisors. I was deemed to be a child rapist and was told;
"Due to the nature of your crimes sir, you have to report in every two weeks at the most".
Although I was allowed to go back to work, these conditions made it impossible to return to my career. Prior to all this, I was moving my way up the ladder in the oilfield. I got my 4th class power engineering degree, and was drilling for a reputable company. I had a job that I had come to know and love for over a decade. But because I had court dates, a curfew, and was required to make regular check-ins, the only job I could get was a lousy labour job. That job payed for little more than the rent at the home which the government was forcing me to stay at. Then one day my bail supervisor tells me;
"Due to the fact there are so many people on bail and not enough supervisors, we have made some rule changes regarding bail supervision. You now have to report once every 2 months. You can now go to work out of town but you must be on a regular rotation in a dry (liquor free) camp. We also need to know all the details in advance and you must submit a copy of your pay stubs."
Thrilled, I immediately looked into getting back into drilling. Two things stopped me dead in my tracks:
1) I had to renew old safety tickets which I couldn't afford.
2) It was spring break up, meaning there were no active rigs at the time.
Not to be deterred, I re-did my resume, called up a few structural engineering buddies, and asked them to forward my resume which they did. I was quickly scooped up by a company that had structural upgrade contracts in Fort Mcmurray. I've always wanted to check out the structural side of engineering. I thought I'd make some decent money and temporarily fill in a void in my life. I slept better there than I had in months knowing police could not enter the compound I was in. I excelled at that job and within two weeks, I was in charge of my own crew! Then disaster.
My first two weeks in, I got an email from my legal aid attorney stating she quit! Why? Because I strongly disagreed with her about not calling my court appointed shrink as a character witness. He wanted to testify that I didn't fit the bill of a rapist, but she didn't want him on the stand. It didn't matter how much I sucked up, she still quit and I had to return home early to go to court. At this point I was afraid that if the crown learned that I was without legal representation and that I was working and making money, it would put me in contention of having adequate legal representation, and they would put a stop to my newly acquired employment. I quickly scheduled a meeting with a very good lawyer in Calgary. I showed him my case file and he agreed that I had a very good case but told me that in order for him to take it on, he would need $20,000.00 up front. I had just started working, so I didn't have that kind of money yet. But because I feared reprisals from the government to prevent me from earning money, I asked him if he could take on the case now if I paid him installments, as I needed legal representation immediately. He wouldn't budge. My girlfriend and I left his office and returned home to my approved residence before curfew. I told her on the drive back, as far as legal representation goes, I was fucking tired of "hamburger helper". I was going to be tough, but I was going after the "steak".
On my last few days off I managed to secure a loan based on my job. All I had to do was bring in a copy of my contract on the following days off to finalize it and I'd have my steak dinner lawyer. Upon driving 5 hours to return to work, I learned Fort Mac was flooded and even the oil sands were in jeopardy. New construction came to a halt and all non essential employes (like me) were sent home. I returned to Edmonton to my approved residence. My roommates there told me every time I leave town, the landlords try to rent out my room from under me. A room I paid up for! Then they told me that all their homes were being closed down shortly because they didn't meet fire safety standards. Within two weeks we were all being transplanted to this converted hotel they bought. We would be trading our single rooms for shared occupancy and our rent would go from $550.00/month to $950.00/month. There would also be 24 hour security guards and video surveillance. In addition, we would have a sign it/out policy telling them when we would be back. We would also have to pose for photos for their spiffy new files. There would also be a strict buzz-in curfew of 10 pm which superseded the one I had with the police department. This sound like a private jail to you? It does to me! Why didn't they just kick me in the balls and light my pants on fire?!
Needless to say I had issues with this. Ultimately, it would affect my job. I HAD to live wherever this private company said, within their realm or else I had to return to hell-I mean, remand centre immediately. This move was to take place in a week, yet I was not formally told about it. I quickly called and left messages with my new legal aid lawyer. I emailed her daily and left messages with her assistant to no avail. I urgently told them this was all an issue for me which would be coming to a head. The government was going to pull another move on me and I needed pre-emptive legal assistance. They didn't care.
On June 19th, 2013 I was on the phone with one of my government supporters when the manager of the place I was staying at called. Secretly, I put her on 3 way with my supporter listening quietly. She confirmed all of what was reiterated to me by my roommates. I stressed to her that I could not afford another $400.00/month and couldn't handle sleeping beside someone I didn't know because of the torture I went through at Hell-I mean, Remand. (Just to give you an idea of the mental state I was in at the time, I would barricade my door every night just so I could sleep. I couldn't get over the thought of somebody coming in through my door at night while I slept. A barricade gave me the reassurance that they would wake me up trying). But I didn't tell her that. I just told her I had stress and trust issues and trouble sleeping at night. I told her I didn't want to inadvertently harm somebody just for startling me in the night. She told me;
"I don't care, fuck you!"
...well, actually she said if I didn't report that night with the extra $400.00 plus damage deposit (which was equivalent to one months rent), they would report me missing, and there would subsequently be a warrant for my arrest. So yeah, basically,
"Fuck you, buddy!"
I didn't have this additional money, and neither did my girlfriend. They told me that I'm apparently too unstable to live with her at our approved apartment even though I ate, showered, and kept everything I still owned there and rented the place out as my friend owns the building. That home has always been my address of record, and all my mail went there. My girlfriend and I ran a clean home. It was a safe place, and we even had some new pets to replace the ones I lost when this all started. But some genius decided I need to be supervised between the hours of 10:30pm and 5:30am. Apparently I must turn into some sexual monster or something between these hours, but I could come and go as I pleased afterwards. That same day I went to speak with one of my supporters at about 5:30 in the evening. She agreed it's total bullshit that they weren't allowing me to live with my girlfriend. That we actually had to go to court to get it adjusted. She was also baffled by the complete lack of attention from my new legal aid lawyer in the matter. At around 7pm my girlfriend was listening to slacker radio in the bedroom. I shortly thereafter heard her leave. I thought she might have gone to the grocery store on the main floor. We take turns cooking, and that night it was her turn. She doesn't like loud music, but I do. So I locked the door behind her and cranked the tunes a little. Singing away some frustrations to Zack Brown band. Shortly thereafter I heard some loud banging at the door. I knew my girlfriend had keys but I thought maybe she had her hands full. But this banging got frantic and very loud. When I looked at the door it was buckling!
BANG BANG BANG!
The wall was actually moving! I knew then, that that was not my girlfriend. Somebody else was trying to come in!
BANG BANG BANG!
A million thoughts rushed through my mind. I thought about opening the door and tuning in whoever it was, but I have to be cautious and watch my temper. I'm quite capable of defending myself but I didn't want misplaced anger coming out in stupid ways. Plus, I had to keep the peace order.
BANG BANG BANG!
The door was metal but it was quickly starting to give. I yelled;
"Whoever the fuck this is, you better fuck off or else you'll get hurt!"
BANG BANG BANG!
They just kept pounding it. I looked over to the kitchen butcher block. A knife!
"Too violent" I thought to myself. I looked over at my tool belt. The Hammer!
"Also too violent". Then I realized my rig bag is beside the door. Inside I had an air horn and bear spray. I yelled:
"Whoever you are, I have bear spray and if you breach my door I will spray you!"
BANG BANG BAAAANG!
At that moment, they breached! The door frame folded out and they blew the bottom door knob lock and the dead bolt. All that was still holding was the hotel chain latch. I attempted to hold the door shut, but despite me being a 255 lbs guy, every time they kicked, I was thrown back. I had no choice. I sprayed the can of bear mace through the opening left by the hotel chain latch. Funny thing about bear spray. Apparently it comes out of that can in a fan, rather than a concentrated jet like you would think. So some of it hit the door and door frame and blew back at me. But I managed to get whoever was trying to come through as well. Despite this, I continued to hold the door for a few more kicks when all of a sudden, they stopped. I took the opportunity to barricade the door with a small couch by lodging it between the door and a nearby closet. Confident it would hold, I pulled the plug on the stereo and called my girlfriend to warn her some lunatic(s) were trying to come through our door. I got no answer. Suddenly I heard somebody yell;
"[Tortured] this is EPS!!" (Edmonton Police Service). I said;
"Fuck you, you're not cops! Why would you be kicking in my door?!" The voice behind the door yelled;
"It IS EPS, open the door you piece of shit coward!" In my mind, that solidified it. Cops don't say that. I immediately suspected it was my accusers uncles, or friends, or whoever. More and more it was looking like somebody was going to be getting hurt here very shortly. I wanted it documented somehow. So I got on the phone and attempted to call my lawyer and my supporters. I either got voice mails, or their phones were off for the day. I then called my current roommate and told him what was going on. Since he lived close by, I asked if he would swing by and confirm that the voices on the other side were in fact police. He said he didn't want any part of it. Then I made my first call to 911. I told them what was going on, and they told me;
"Well, if they're saying they're the police, then let them in". Then they hung up on me.
Then I called my former attorney and left a message with her stating I had a situation here and needed some advisement. (She never called back).
BANG BANG BANG!
The barricade was holding well. At least, for now.
"Let us in you fucking piece of shit!" I heard from behind the door. That only further solidified my suspicions that this was indeed my accuser's family and/or friends looking to enact some of their own brand of chivalry justice. I told them;
"Listen, I'm not guilty! It was all a lie! I'll show you the DNA report!" The voice yelled back;
"Fuck you, it's a moral issue with you!" I attempted to call my girlfriend again to warn her, but got no answer (these phone calls can be confirmed with my phone records). Then the voice behind the door said;
"[Tortured], this is the swat team! Remove the fucking barricade and let us in, because when we come in, and believe me we are coming in, WE ARE GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!"
Terrified, I called 911 again and told them what was going on. They said;
"Why don't you just let them in?" I said I didn't know for sure if they were cops. If they were, why would they be trying to kick in my door, and why are they threatening to kill me? The 911 operator replied;
"Surely they aren't..." I then held my phone up to the door as the voice repeated his previous threat. Then she said;
"....hold on."
BANG BANG...
A brief pause, and then I hear;
"[Tortured], if you remove the barricade and let us in, we promise we will not hurt you!" Everything was happening so fast. I didn't know what to do. A minute ago these guys were threatening to kill me. They sounded pumped up and I was convinced they would do it. I needed to stall for time to think, and to give cooler heads a chance to prevail. I told them;
"I have a weapon and I have a round chambered!? Looking back, perhaps that wasn't the best way to go about it, but I wanted to see if we could try to talk it out a bit. The 911 operator then asked me why I called the cops. I told her it was to confirm if the voices on the other side of the door were in fact police. Also, because if these guys did end up killing me, that it would be recorded on the 911 tape, and everyone would know that this was clearly a premeditated murder. I then told her under no circumstance would I harm a police officer. Then she hung up. I told the voice behind the door;
"I am going to remove everything from my pockets, be clear of any weapons, remove my shirt, and lie face down on the ground with my hands behind my head after I remove everything from in front of the door. But I'm freaked right now, so if you rush me before I give you the all clear to come in, I will fight to defend myself!" As I removed the barricade I could hear the voices behind the door whispering;
"Okay, he's removed the barricade, get ready." I then did everything I said I would do. I gave them the all clear and the door threw open. I could see green lasers dancing around everywhere. I was completely convinced I was going to be shot in the back of the head any second. I closed my eyes tight and asked god to accept my soul.
But they never shot me. In fact, they were surprisingly gentle. They cuffed me, and escorted me out the back set of stairs. I fucking tripped and fell down the last half flight. Another cop then grabbed my arm and posed me outside in front of a guy holding a large film camera on his shoulder before making a brief comment to the media. They evacuated my building and the grocery store downstairs. They even cordoned off the entire property and two main intersections! Looked like they had the entire police department there. Swat, media, spectators...it was a red and blue flashing circus. Military buddies of mine tell me they don't do this sort of operation in 45 minutes. It takes planning. They need to de-escalate the situation, do officer safety...it all takes hours. They knew what they were doing all along. They clearly planned it ahead of time.
But they never shot me. In fact, they were surprisingly gentle. They cuffed me, and escorted me out the back set of stairs. I fucking tripped and fell down the last half flight. Another cop then grabbed my arm and posed me outside in front of a guy holding a large film camera on his shoulder before making a brief comment to the media. They evacuated my building and the grocery store downstairs. They even cordoned off the entire property and two main intersections! Looked like they had the entire police department there. Swat, media, spectators...it was a red and blue flashing circus. Military buddies of mine tell me they don't do this sort of operation in 45 minutes. It takes planning. They need to de-escalate the situation, do officer safety...it all takes hours. They knew what they were doing all along. They clearly planned it ahead of time.
Later I was brought in front of a j.p. As they read over my charges, I started to wish they just fucking shot me. My life is just OVER, I thought to myself. At around count 16, I just plugged my ears as they continued to talk. For some time I sat there with my ears plugged. When I unplugged them I herd;
"Count 22, blah blah blah...." So I said;
"Fuck this!" and I plugged my ears again. They grabbed my attention and asked if I had anything to say. I told them;
"I want my cell and lawyer."
On my arraignment, the charges were reduced to 11. Seven of those being assault with a weapon against police with a weapon. I was charged summarily, instead of indictable assumedly so they could avoid a trial in front of a jury. I guess they prefer this matter be decided by a judge. Since then they have offered me another plea deal. They say if I plead guilty to two assaults (one against my girlfriend), they would reduce the charges to 2 assaults, two breaches, one weapons, or 18 months (unless the judge ups it) and 2 years probation to "keep an eye on me". My new legal aid lawyer told me if I refused this plea deal, she would quit on me. I refused it, and she quit. And this is where I'm sitting today. I've since been acquitted of the rape charge and they've dropped the 2 bogus bail breach charges and a slew of others, but because this matter is still unresolved, I'm still under house arrest, still unable to work, and still have no attorney.
There was no windows or peep holes in my door. There was no warrant, and nobody inside with me who was in danger. My girlfriend wrote a statement that I didn't assault her, and tells of them threatening to kill me, calling me a piece of shit, and other insult laden threats. They also offered her money and witness protection to testify on their behalf. She has flatly refused to lie for them and has actually moved because of their harassment. I haven't seen her for nearly 5 months, and she has all my stuff. They slapped a no contact order against me so I can't communicate with her. They just want to keep me alone. She has hired a lawyer to fight it. On the plus side, I no longer have to live where they tell me to. I'm currently shacking up with a friend. I guess I got over that touch of turning into a sexual fiend at night time.
What a joke! What an un-fucking-believable joke!
Here is the charter notice filed by my attorney's office.
This is also a letter from my then girlfriend and now my wife , just a rough version as her deposition is much more.
-Tortured.
