Update: Convicted rapist and killer Paul Bernardo is staying behind bars. Bernardo was denied parole today after a panel heard impassioned pleas from the parents of two of his murder victims to keep him locked up.
Reporter Nicole Martin is in Kingston for the parole hearing and will have a full update on the Evening News at 6.
Convicted serial rapist and killer Paul Bernardo is set to plead for his release from prison Wednesday at a parole hearing in Kingston.
Bernardo was convicted in 1995 of the sadistic murders and rapes of Leslie Mahaffy, 14, of Burlington and Kristen French, 15 of St. Catharines.
Bernardo and his then-wife Karla Homolka kidnapped, tortured and killed Mahaffy in June 1991 at their home in Port Dalhousie. They dismembered her body, encased her remains in cement and dumped them into a nearby lake.
In April 1992, Bernardo also tortured and killed French after keeping her captive for three days.
Bernardo was arrested in early 1993 after Toronto police released a suspect description of the ‘Scarborough Rapist’, a man responsible for terrorizing at least 14 other women.
Bernardo admitted to raping the teenage girls but always maintained the murders were done by Homolka. The rapes were recorded on video tapes which were not found until after Homolka had struck a plea deal in St. Catharines. She served 12 years for her involvement and was released from prison in 2005.
Bernardo was given life without parole eligibility until he had served 25 years since his arrest. The designated dangerous offender has been eligible for parole since February.
His defence lawyer has said he expects his 54-year-old client will take full responsibility for his crimes and express remorse.
The mothers of Bernardo’s teenage victims, Donna French and Debbie Mahaffy, issued victim impact statements to be read by their lawyer during the parole hearing.
Debbie Mahaffy Victim Impact Statement
Donna French Victim Impact Statement
