Killer of 2 Moncton police officers in 1974 loses appeal of parole decision
Richard Bergeron, formerly Richard Ambrose, sought unescorted temporary absences
Richard Bergeron, serving a life sentence for the first-degree murder of two Moncton police officers in 1974, has lost another attempt to get unescorted temporary absences from prison.
The appeal division of the Parole Board of Canada upheld an earlier decision rejecting Bergeron's request.
Bergeron had asked if he could leave prison to set up a bank account in British Columbia's Fraser Valley and move to a community residential facility on Vancouver Island.
The appeal decision was released this week. The Parole Board had cited Bergeron's "capacity for extreme violence" and says he would present "undue risks" if he were put in a minimum security institution.
"You appear to believe you are much more ready for a conditional release than your [case management team] believes," the Parole Board decision said.
Bergeron also asked to go to a storage rental business to arrange to have his personal belongings moved from Alberta to British Columbia.
His requests were denied on Oct. 2, but he appealed the decision on "personal development" grounds and "administrative reasons." The appeal division reviewed the matter Dec. 12.
The appeal division found Bergeron was treated fairly and said he didn't raise any grounds for changing the parole board's decision.
Sentenced to hang
Bergeron and James Hutchison were originally sentenced to hang for the shootings of Const. Michael O'Leary and Cpl. Aurele Bourgeois.
The crime spree started with the Dec. 13, 1974, kidnapping of 14-year-old Raymond Stein, the son of Moncton restaurateur Cy Stein.
Stein agreed to pay a $15,000 ransom and his son was released unharmed.
While investigating the case, Bourgeois and O'Leary reported they were following a suspicious Cadillac. They weren't heard from again.
Their bodies were found in shallow graves outside Moncton on Dec. 15, 1974.
2nd killer died in prison
The parole board decision said Bergeron and his accomplice abducted the officers, put them in the trunk of a vehicle and drove them to a remote area, where they were shot with their service revolvers.
Canada outlawed capital punishment and both Bergeron and Hutchison remained in prison. In 2011, Hutchison died in prison.
Since his conviction, Bergeron has escaped from prison, had his parole revoked after being accused of assaulting his wife and trying to choke a family member, and threatened to harm a lawyer over a fee, according to parole board documents.
'Hostile reactions'
Bergeron contended the parole board had considered erroneous information when it rejected his request for temporary absences.
The appeal division said it found the information reliable, relevant and persuasive.
The decision listed numerous reasons for denying the appeal.
"Your extreme violence, your prior failure on conditional release, your moderate-high actuarial risk score, your quick frustration and hostile reactions, your continued refusal to work co-operatively with your [case management team] and … a failure to take responsibility for your own actions."