A former bike gang member convicted of first degree murder — out on parole since 1995 and a long-time counsellor to inmates serving life sentences — told a jury he believes Delroy McFarlane should be considered for early parole eligibility.
Richard Sauve, 69, testified before a Newmarket jury hearing McFarlane’s “faint-hope” application to seek the right to apply for parole before 25 years have passed.
McFarlane is serving a life sentence — with no parole for 25 years — in Warkworth penitentiary for the 2003 murder of Josh Julien, 20, who was shot 14 times, including 5 times in the face, over a drug debt for marijuana imported from the U.S.
He was arrested in 2003, convicted in 2008, and cannot apply for parole until 2028.
The rare hearing will eventually decide if he can apply before that date.
Sauve — who was released after making a “faint-hope” application — is serving a life sentence, but has been out on parole since 1995.
He now runs two programs where he works with inmates seeking to reintegrate into the community.
“I would feel comfortable having him as a neighbour,” Sauve told the hearing.
He testified about how he met McFarlane sometime between 2012 and 2014 when he signed up for two counselling programs.
“He responded very well,” said Sauve, who served more than 17 years behind bars before he was paroled.
“He was very open about talking about the impact that the life sentence had had on him. But he was also encouraging to some of the other, younger prisoners.”
He agreed most inmates applying for parole do so while in minimum-security institutions instead of a medium-security prison like the one McFarlane is in.
Susan Hazel, a now-retired Correctional Service Canada employee, also testified in support of McFarlane’s application.
She said his behaviour changed behind bars as he took courses, worked, and engaged with the chaplaincy.
“He’s certainly done an a lot,” she told the jury.
“I don’t think I’ve seen a lifer as busy as Mr. McFarlane. He’s done well; he’s been consistently employed.”
The Crown cross-examined Hazel about five infractions and charges McFarlane faced while in prison, including a fight in 2012, and also being one of 35 “instigators” of an hours-long disturbance in 2011 that was put down by force.
The jury heard an additional agreed statement about a 2010 deportation order to Jamaica which was imposed on McFarlane: “due to conviction for first-degree murder, he is inadmissible (to Canada) due to serious criminality.”
The Crown wants McFarlane to serve his full 25 years before applying for parole.
The hearing resumes Wednesday.
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