True Cases

SHRUNK is a collection of true cases by eminent Canadian and international forensic psychologists and psychiatrists facing the tough topic of mental illness in the criminal justice system.

Edited by William Trudell and Lorene Shyba, More Tough Crimes is the third book in the Durvile True Cases series. Like other books in the series More Tough Crimes provides a unique window into the world of criminal justice. These stories are 'tough crimes' because of the emotional demands put on the judges and lawyers involved. Many cases in the book are recent, but some from the past were so disturbing that even decades later, they resonate in the public consciousness.

With the book Florence Kinrade: Lizzie Borden of the North, Durvile's True Cases series takes a spin into historical true crime. Florence Kinrade, in 1909, seemed merely the dutiful daughter of a wealthy educator and the fiancé of a parson's son. At the same time she was leading a double life as a vaudeville artiste and soon became the central figure in a gruesome family murder. By digging deep into contemporary accounts and inquest testimony, Frank Jones' narrative nonfiction focuses on Florence's inner life, suppressed emotions, and romantic escapades to contextualize the murder of her sister, Ethel. Jones reveals the challenges of a upper class woman seeking a showbiz career, illuminates the little-known 'tramp menace' feared by people of the era, and reveals Florence's mental diagnoses by famous psychiatrist of the time, C.K. Clarke. Florence Kinrade is a deeply personal and intimate exploration which holds many parallels with the story of Lizzie Borden, another famous murder mystery involving a family murder and a mysterious young woman.

Ross Mackay, The Saga of a Brilliant Criminal Lawyer is great fit for people who love Perry Mason's courtroom drama and Better Call Saul's criminal subculture. Two murder trials were held in Toronto in the spring of 1962, only nineteen days apart. The accused man in each trial, one a pimp accused of stabbing a fellow pimp to death, the other a thief who killed a policeman in a shootout, were the last two men to be hanged in Canada. Toronto criminal lawyer Ross Mackay was the counsel for the accused in both trials, a mere thirty years old when he lost them both to the gallows. But the trials were far from the last times that Mackay defended accused murderers in the most horrendous circumstances. Author Jack Batten tells the story of Mackay's dedication to the maxim that every man is entitled to a defence - a story of Mackay's courage and the harsh penalties he paid for the daring and controversial choices he made in life and in the courtroom.

Like its predecessors in the Durvile True Cases series, After the Force features true cases and investigations, this time by police officers who have served in municipal, provincial, and federal police services. Stories in this anthology are by people who have been passionate about their work in law enforcement and who generously explain what it was about their work that led them to choose a career or specific way of life "after the force." Among the stunning themes in the book are stories dealing with prostitution and sex work, racism and misogyny, an encounter with a cop killer, police suicides, a child miraculously surviving a fall from a high-rise balcony, an officer dealing with a partner who was experiencing severe PTSD, a suicide from a bridge, and child sexual assaults. Optimistic themes and activities arise in these writers' lives after retiring from police work, such as writing, painting, assisting Indigenous communities, and facilitating community improvement.

Rough & Messy Justice vividly portrays Alberta's Crowsnest Pass of 1920, a rugged Rocky Mountain region shaped by its mining economy and diverse culture. An armed CPR train robbery spirals into a deadly shootout at the Bellevue Café, where police clash with Russian outlaws fresh from Montana's mines. A surviving bandit escapes, triggering a relentless manhunt. When captured, his trial becomes a spectacle marred by overt racism in the press, law enforcement cover-ups, and a judge and jury riddled with bias. With a weak defence lawyer, unreliable witnesses, and critical legal missteps, the proceedings lead to a tragic execution. This gripping true crime account exposes systemic corruption, racial prejudice, and the fatal flaws in Canada's early justice system. By confronting these injustices, Rough & Messy Justice challenges assumptions about fairness and equality under the law, offering an exploration of historical crime and consequence. "The Wild West, reminiscent of a Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid escapade....Thoroughly researched and well-written, Rough & Messy Justice is an engaging and intriguing read about a judicial system vastly different from today's criminal justice." Hon. Peter W.L. Martin, Justice (Ret.) Alberta Court of Appeal

Acts of Darkness exposes the many faces of crime, and the many faces of injustice. Some acts of darkness are brutal and unmistakable: murder, drug wars, and violence behind prison walls. Others are more calculated: fraud, betrayal, corruption, and abuse of power. And some unfold quietly, in courtrooms, in boardrooms, or deep inside Canada?s justice system, where wrongful convictions, systemic neglect, and indifference can be just as devastating. From the chilling crimes of Paul Bernardo and the unrepentant violence of Michael McGray, to the calculated schemes of Edwin Alonzo Boyd, Helmuth Buxbaum, and Gilbert Galvan, this collection unravels the lives of some of Canada?s most notorious offenders. With unflinching detail, Acts of Darkness exposes the cracks in our legal and correctional systems, forcing readers to confront unsettling questions about justice, morality, and the true cost of punishment. A must-read for true crime enthusiasts seeking chilling insights into justice and morality. "Thoughtful and provocative. John Hill lifts the veil on the world inside the walls of Canada's Prison and Justice systems based on his knowledge and personal experience. As a journalist who covered this area for almost 20 years, I can says that this book paints an accurate picture of the brutality of life on the inside. It also shows the legal and systemic barriers many prisoners face in trying to "do their time" and return to society. An important read for Canadians who pay billions of dollars for a system that often lacks true accountability." -Maureen Brosnahan Senior National Correspondent CBC News "Hill has practiced and taught criminal and correctional law for forty years, and the book is divided into some of his standout cases – the bulk of them from the 1990s, which include stories of notorious criminals, wrongful convictions, and oft precedent-setting decisions. Hill is a measured, straightforward writer who includes a lot of legal details and mentions of paperwork, perhaps an honest reflection of the bulk of a rel attorney's job (versus the network TV version)." -Eve Thomas, Montreal Review of Books Foreword, Salvatore Caramanna Velvet-Glove Persuasion ix Preface Examining the Underbelly 1 1. Vito Buffone and Jeffrey Kompon Collateral Damage in the Pursuit of Justice 5 2. Ray Rueger Twist of the Knife 57 3. Matthew Michel, Johnny Stavrou, and Dennis Edgar Torturous Treatment 73 4. Bogiatzis, Christoldolou, Cusato, and Churchill Satan's Choice 83 5. Jason Cofell Stark Acts of Vigilante Justice 91 6. Mary Dawson Dubious Tenure at Kingston Penitentiary 111 7. David Miclash Con Code and Tyranny of Silence 127 8. Michael McGray Serial Killer in Plain View 139 9. Brian Donald Hickey Losing Control 151 10. Buxbaum, Greenspan, and Martin Pharoahs 159 11. Edwin Alonzo Boyd and Gilbert Galvan Bandits 179 12. Martin, Simpson, LaKing, and Carriere Gladiators 193 13. Paul Bernardo Open and Honest Inmate Expression 221 14. Robert Wilson (Rosie) Rowbotham Cheech and Chong Moments 237 15. George Lovie Nothing But Fear Itself 259 Epilogue 265 Acknowledgement In Memorium 269