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ART, CRIME AND INJUSTICE
The Nuanced and Polarizing Nature of the Extreme Intoxication Defense for Sexual Assault Cases in Canada
This news commentary compares two articles on the recent decision by Ontario Superior Court Justice Nancy Spies in the case of R. v. McCaw, 2018 ONSC 3464 (“McCaw”) in which, s. 33.1 of the Criminal Code “was ruled unconstitutional as it violates a defendant’s right to be presumed innocent and their right to fundamental justice” […]
Posted in: Crime
Guilty Pleasures: Film Noir, Gay Porn and Other Forbidden Flowers
May 2, 2017
“The naming of hidden pleasures is blasphemous.” – Our Lady of the Flowers, Jean Genet Straight porn (in my opinion) has all the emotional intensity of limp fish on Quaaludes. Gay male porn, on the other hand, is an animalistic orchestra of groaning, grunting and spurting amidst heated entanglements of hard bodies, boners and beautiful […]
Posted in: Crime, Literature
Long Noses and the Jian Ghomeshi Trial
February 12, 2016
Like many people in Canada, I have been following the Jian Ghomeshi case since it broke in 2014. Since starting my blog, I have on occasion cited a personal experience to contextualize my position, but have never written a post that focuses entirely on my personal experiences to make a point. Today, however, is a […]
Posted in: Crime
Art as a Murderous Act
January 17, 2016
“I’ve got a peculiar weakness for criminals and artists – neither takes life as it is. Any tragic story has to be in conflict with things as they are.” – Stanley Kubrick What makes one person choose art and another one murder? One controversial theory suggests that artists and criminals do have something in common: […]
Dark Heart of the Handmaid’s Tale: Dead Texas Woman Kept on Life Support to Incubate her Fetus
December 20, 2015
“Blessed be the fruit.” – Chapter 4, The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood In case you haven’t reached your dose of disturbing anti-abortion-related laws from Texas, here is one tale that could be a spine-chilling scene straight out of Margaret Atwood’s cautionary novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale”. [I originally wrote this piece in 2014, but have revised […]
Posted in: Activism, Art, Crime, Feminism, Film, Injustice, Literature, Performance, Social Justice, Visual Art
Playing with Barbie: Sex, Copyright and the Hypocrisy of Mattel
December 20, 2015
“For decades, Barbie has remained torpedo-titted, open-mouthed, tippy-toed and vagina-less in her cellophane coffin—and, ever since I was little, she threatened me.” — Susan Jane Gilman of Girl W/Pen I have an online friend who once referred to me as “Commando Barbie.” It made me laugh, but there was a sardonic side to her witty […]
House of Mirrors and Hidden Truths: The Wrongful Conviction of David Thorne
November 5, 2014
“Over time, hidden truths morph in the dark soil of deceit into something much worse.” ― Patti Callahan Henry, Between the Tides David Thorne is an innocent man who is serving a life sentence without parole for allegedly hiring an acquaintance, Joe Wilkes, to kill the mother of his son, Yvonne Layne. In January 2000, after five […]
‘Crime After Crime’: An Inspiring Tale of Abuse, Injustice and a Fight for Freedom
April 3, 2014
“Crime After Crime is a legal thriller, a genre that is built on suspense, intrigue and discovery.” – Yoav Potash Those who end up in the unlawful clutches of an almighty and complicated American ‘justice system’ rarely get out with any sort of ease or swiftness. Even with a polished or tenacious defence lawyer, once inside, prisoners are […]
A Can of Worms in Mississippi
March 20, 2014
Originally posted on Justice for Willie Manning:
Radley Balko, writing last month in the Washington Post, describes how the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently turned down a request for post-conviction relief by a man convicted of murder in Mississippi. Tavares Flaggs was convicted largely on the basis of the autopsy testimony of…
Posted in: Crime
Pinocchio Law Keeps Jeffrey Havard on Death Row Despite His Innocence
March 20, 2014
[Havard] argues… “newly discovered evidence debunking shaken baby syndrome proves he is actually innocent of capital murder.” [The state] disagrees. “But first, [the state] would note that actual innocence does not entitle [Jeff Havard] to relief. ‘Actual innocence is a gateway claim made by petitioners in order to receive review of an otherwise procedurally barred […]
SPOTTED COUCH 
November 29, 2018
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