Letters to the editor

Almost two years ago my 17 year old nephew and two of his friends were driving around in Kitchener, Ontario with cap guns they had just purchased.

The friend in the front passenger seat stuck the gun out the window and fired off a cap, shocking the parents and kids in the vehicle beside them.

The family then pulled in behind the boy’s car and called the police on a cell phone.  The family followed them and kept the police informed of their location.

I don't believe the family would have followed them if they thought it was a real gun.

After the subsequent high risk take down and booking at the police station, charges were laid against all three, even though only one cap gun was fired and none of the boys had any prior problems with the law.  The three were eventually given conditional discharges.

My nephew and his friends had to go court on at least three different occasions, with their parents taking time off work to accompany them each time.  The parents each had to pay over $3,000 in lawyer's fees.

The boys were not allowed to be in each others company for over the year it took to go to court, even at school.  The threat of conviction was held over their heads for more than a year.

Terry Martin