CORNWALL, Ontario – On June 28, wife and mother of three Kristine Cadieux was killed in a car crash on Hwy. 401.
On Jan. 9 Laframboise pleaded guilty to careless driving and was given a $2,000 fine with 18 months to pay.
Robert Cadieux, Kristine’s husband only found out about the ruling after the fact and was not given the opportunity to deliver a victim impact statement.
Cadieux also questioned several aspects about the case, including the fact that Laframboise’s license was not suspended.
The Crown Attorney’s office moved to appeal the sentencing and a hearing was held on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at the Cornwall courthouse.
In advance of the hearing Cadieux and the group he helped found, V.O.I.C.E. which stands for Victim of Injustice Changing Everything, held a protest outside of the courthouse.
According to the CBC, during the hearing Justice Diane Lahaie did not allow Cadieux, or his children to make victim impact statements, instead choosing to deliberate until March 27 as to whether the appeal will be allowed. If the request to appeal is denied, then the ruling will stand, but Cadieux and his two children will not be allowed to give any statements.
In a written statement to Seaway News Cadieux said that he felt that the court had at least identified that there were problems in the earlier hearing.
“We are glad that a competent Judge and Prosecutor are now handling the case,” he said. “The Judge recognized that many errors were made at the previous hearing, but any 8-year-old kid could have recognized that.”
Cadieux also spoke of his feelings on Laframboise.
“The fact that Felix Laframboise represented himself today and spoke briefly to the court about his willingness to accept his further punishment was noted and respected by all my children and myself,” he said.
He went on to explain that he feels that the case was mismanaged, which has drawn out the whole ordeal for him and his family.
“it is a sad day for justice when a case that if it were handled properly in the first place would have been resolved the first time,” said Cadieux. “Instead the Crown’s office has wasted a lot of court time and resources not to mention taxpayer’s money to have what should have been a very uncomplicated case resolved.”
Cadieux still hopes for a chance to address Laframboise.
“Felix Laframboise wants to explain himself and apologize to me and my children,” Cadieux said. “We wanted to tell him that what he did was terrible but we wanted to be able to accept his apology. We wanted him prosecuted fairly and openly and we did not want him to go to jail but we did want him punished to act as a deterrent.”
