MP wants federal review of serial killer's move to medium-security prison

A Conservative MP is calling for a federal review of the decision to move serial killer Cody Legebokofffrom a maximum-security prison in B.C.to a medium-security facility in Ontario.

Cariboo-PrinceGeorge MPToddDoherty challenged Public Safety Minister RalphGoodalein the House of Commons last weekto review the caseand to get back to him and the families of the victims.

"I just think that we need to be doing everything in our power so that we are respecting the rights of our victims and the victims' families," said Doherty, adding that the minister and prime minister have the power of review under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

In 2014, Legebokoffwas sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 yearsfor the first-degree murders ofLorenLeslie, JillStuchenko, CynthiaMaas and Natasha Montgomery, who died in 2009 and 2010.

Legebokoff was 24 at the time of sentencing for the murders, which took place in and around Prince George.

"[He's]only just really starting his sentence, his four life sentences that he has, and then already he's being bumped down to medium security," Doherty toldCarolinadeRyk, host of CBC'sDaybreak North.

"When somebody commits the worst of the worst crimes, I just think that they need to be held accountable."

Only 2 families notified, MP says

The Conservative MP said he first heardabout the move from the families.

"We had the victims'families reach out to us and and ask if there was anything that we could do to look into this," said Doherty.

He said only two of the families were notified.

Correctional Services Canada wouldn't comment on the specifics of the case, citing privacy issues. However, they said in an email to CBCthat offenders are thoroughly evaluated and placed in facilities that can assure their security and meet their program needs.

"Rehabilitative efforts, leading to a gradual and controlled release, have proven to be a better way of protecting the public than keeping offenders in maximum-security institutions to the end of their sentence, and then releasing them into society without supervision."

'Is he going to be bumped down tominimum?'

In 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissedLegebokoff's application to appeal his murder convictions.

The fact that he appealed indicates that Legebokoff has not taken responsibility for his crimes, Doherty said.

Dohertyis also concerned that people in Ontario aren't as familiar with Legebokoff's name as British Columbians are.

"When I bring it up in Parliament, people havenever heard of him. So the concern is that next year, when he is going before having his security reclassification, is he going to be bumped down tominimum?" he said.

Correctional ServicesCanada said that the security level is based on three factors how the offender will adjust to the institution, the risk of escape, and public safety and that the transfer of a prisoner to lowersecuritylevels is evaluatedwith public safety in mind.

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