First Response

Robert Willie Pickton was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder the other day. When his lawyer was asked how he took the news, the reply was something to the effect that Pickton was responding the way you would expect when someone has been convicted of six counts of murder.

To be honest, I really have no idea what he meant. How does one respond to such news? No doubt, one's first reaction is shock. Second, one would hope, is a sense of remorse and a sense of regret at the harm one has caused the victim, the victim's families, and others. Of course, if the murderer were like the newly sentenced Lord Conrad Black, one might respond with protestations of innocence, lardered with a strong sense of injustice and a sprinkling of persecution complex. From what I can tell, Pickton did none of these. He just sat, like he did for most of the trial.