Robert Latimer, the Saskatchewan farmer convicted of second-degree murder for killing his severely disabled daughter, is to appear in federal court in Vancouver September 3 to challenge a National Parole Board decision requiring him to obtain pre-approval for travel outside Canada.
Latimer, now 60, was convicted in 2001 of second-degree murder in the 1993 death of his 12-year-old daughter Tracy, who suffered from cerebral palsy. He was sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 10 years, but was released on day parole after serving only seven years of his prison term and granted full parole with conditions on Dec. 8, 2010.
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. He also confessed to having considered other methods of killing Tracy, including Valium overdose and “shooting her in the head.”
His initial parole conditions stipulated that he must continue receiving psychological counseling, that he is “not to have responsibility for, or make decisions for, any individuals who have a significant disability,” and that he is barred from traveling out of the country.
Last July Latimer requested that all three conditions of his parole be removed. The Parole Board of Canada did withdraw the psychological counseling condition, but ruled against the two other requests.
In its decision on the requirement that he not have responsibility or decision making power for any significantly disabled individual, the board said it is “satisfied that in the absence of this condition (Latimer) would pose an undue risk to society.”
With regard to traveling out of Canada, the board said Latimer must apply to the board for permission on a case by case basis if he wants to travel abroad.
Latimer appealed the travel restriction, but the Parole Board again said he must obtain pre-approval for international travel.
In December 2013 Latimer requested that a federal judge review the Parole Board's decision.
In response to Latimer's application for judicial review the Office of the Attorney General issued a memorandum maintaining that the Parole Board's decision was “reasonable” and “within the range of possible outcomes … in keeping with the nature and gravity of the offence and the principles underlying the Applicant's [Latimer's] sentence.”
The AGC memorandum concluded that Latimer's application for “permanent relief from international travel restriction” be dismissed.