Date: 2008-05-11 00:42 Subject: Crime Doesn't Pay, Security: Public Mood: awake Tags: news

especially if you are in jail already serving out a sentence.

The following news article is from my town's newspaper and the person charged faced the judge at the local court house (no typos or spelling errors have been corrected):

http://www.amherstdaily.com/index.cfm?sid=133152&sc=58

Accused in attempted murder trial facing new drug-related charges
BY CHRISTOPHER GOODING AND RAISSA TETANISH
The Amherst Daily News

SPRINGHILL - A few local firefighters may have had smiles on their faces after a marijuana grow operation was discovered inside a burning home Tuesday evening.

“But mind you, everyone was wearing proper breathing apparatuses,” said Springhill Police chief Gary Copeland of the house fire on McGee Street.

Revere Ernest Ruddick, 53, is facing one count each of unlawfully producing marijuana, possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, breaching his recognizance condition to keep the peace and be of good behaviour and breaching his recognizance condition of abstaining from consumption or possession of illicit or prescription drugs without having the proper prescription. The incidents occurred between April 7 and May 7, 2008, in Springhill.
He’s currently serving a custody sentence after entering a guilty plea to one count of breaching his recognizance, and is facing one count each of attempted murder of Jason Daniel Casey, aggravated assault on Casey, assault with a weapon (broken beer bottles) and possession of a weapon (broken beer bottles) dangerous to the public, incidents occurring March 29, 2008, at JB’s Steakhouse in Springhill.

Ruddick appeared in court in Amherst on Thursday with defence counsel Jim O’Neil for a show-cause hearing on the March 29 charges, however because of the new charges, O’Neil requested an adjournment.

“I don’t think Mr. Ruddick would be properly represented and given a fair case if we went ahead today,” O’Neil told Judge Carole Beaton.

O’Neil’s adjournment request was granted and Ruddick will appear in court May 20, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. Ruddick consented to a remand after his custodial sentence expires at the end of the week.

During Tuesday night’s fire, first responders moved to smother the flames and realized the grow operation was inside the building.

“We took over the scene after the firemen finished their job,” Copeland said. “We received a warrant to search the premises and subsequently found the grow op.”

Due caution is used when the discovery of any large amount of drugs is made during a fire, Copeland explained, but as fire fighters combated the flames it became evident no explosive chemicals were present in the grow room. The house in questions sits precariously near its neighbours.

“This grow-op wasn’t considered dangerous in the sense their might have been chemicals involved,” Copeland said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.