By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, March 20, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Robert Latimer, the Saskatchewan farmer given a life sentence for murdering his severely-disabled teenage daughter in 1993, has had his day parole extended by the National Parole Board.
In a decision made March 12 and released yesterday, the board said Latimer has positive support, is continuing to pursue vocational training and has handled well the stress of a family member’s recent medical difficulties.
“Based on a review of your correctional file … the board has concluded that were your day parole to be continued, your risk to reoffend would not be undue,” the panel concluded.
Latimer is currently living in a minimum security facility near Victoria, British Columbia, where he is training as an electrician.
Latimer, who has never expressed remorse for killing his 12 year-old daughter Tracy, who suffered from cerebral palsy, maintained that he had acted “out of love” and that he had had no choice but to kill his daughter. He became a cause célèbre with euthanasia activists who engaged in a media campaign to depict him as a victim of an unjust legal system.
When Tracy’s death was discovered, Latimer at first lied to police, saying that she had died in her sleep. He later confessed to police, who had done an autopsy, that he had killed his daughter by placing her in the cab of his truck and connecting a hose from the cab to the truck’s exhaust pipe.
The Parole Board notes in its decision that, “You (Latimer) maintain that you were motivated solely by a desire to end her suffering from severe and chronic pain,” yet, “file information indicates that you staged her death.”
“In order to make it appear that your daughter died of natural causes, you removed her body from the vehicle and placed her in her bed, giving the impression to your wife and others that she died in her sleep.”
Latimer’s parole extension is contingent upon the conditions that he is “not to have responsibility for, or make decisions for, any individuals who are severely disabled,” and that he is to continue with psychological counseling.
See previous LSN coverage:
Euthanasia Activist, Convicted Murderer Robert Latimer to be Transferred to Victoria, BC
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/sep/08091706.html
Latimer Release after Seven Years for Killing Disabled Daughter “A Tragedy”
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08022803.html
Convicted “Euthanasia” Murderer Robert Latimer Applies For Day Parole
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/nov/07112704.html