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Old 05-31-2017, 06:35 PM   #34
MBates
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For those who perhaps need some context, the nature of the acts (and more particularly the impact on everyone who has ever viewed them) are described somewhat in the judgment of the criminal case brought against Bernardo's lawyer for keeping the existence of the tapes a secret from the authorities:

https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/do...nlii22378.html

Quote:
[19] The critical tapes are indescribably horrible. Leslie Mahaffy was 14 years of age and Kristen French 15 when they were abducted and murdered by Bernardo, assisted by Homolka. The tapes show each of them being forced to participate with Bernardo and Homolka in the grossest sexual perversions. In the course of sexual assaults they are forced to pretend they are enjoying the experience through scripted dialogue, and, in the case of Kristen French, through being instructed to constantly smile at the camera. Obedience is obtained through physical assault and Bernardo threatens each of them with death if they do not perform as directed.

[20] Everyone exposed to the videotapes has been deeply affected by the experience.

[21] Doyle had to review the tapes by way of trial preparation for Rosen. In giving her evidence she broke down at the recollection and said that she saw the tapes nine times, but "a million times in my head".

[22] Rosen, a veteran criminal defence counsel, was obliged to hesitate part way through his evidence as he recollected the images on the tapes. He described viewing the tapes on September 13, 1994 with MacDonald and Clayton Ruby. MacDonald wept beside him as the tapes were shown and Rosen said he himself was extremely upset. Murray described the tapes as "caustic", "corrosive" and "shocking". Even defence counsel, Mr. Cooper, who must in his career have been exposed to almost everything terrible the court system has to offer, was obliged to request a brief adjournment in the course of reading in some of this evidence.

[23] In addition to the dreadful acts perpetrated on Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy, the critical tapes also show the drugging and sexual assaults of Jane Doe and Tammy Homolka, both 15 years of age.
The unique difficulty of reconciling Homolka's re-integration to society is due to the fact that she was able to negotiate a deal that it is safe to say never would have occurred if the existence of the tapes had been known:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...rticle1028321/

Quote:
The Crown prosecutor negotiated the plea bargain with Ms. Homolka and her lawyer in 1993, before Crown officials knew there were videotapes portraying her as a willing participant in the murders in St. Catharines of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy.
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