A Laval police officer told a courtroom on Thursday that she did not think she had grounds to arrest an RCMP officer one week before he went on a murderous shooting rampage.
Nathalie Rufer was one of two Laval police officers who talked to Jocelyn Hotte on June 18, 2001 after his ex-girlfriend had filed complaints about his behaviour.
One week later Hotte killed Lucie Gelinas as she was driving on Highway 40, and severely injured her three passengers.
Those passengers are suing the city of Laval and the RCMP for $3 million.
Insufficient Grounds
In court on Thursday, Rufer testified that she met with Gelinas and Hotte, and decided that she did not think Laval police had grounds to arrest Hotte, despite his having threatened Gelinas and her neighbour, or that Hotte was stalking Gelinas and parking his car outside her house all day.
Rufer said that even though Hotte was searching emails and phone records to find out who Gelinas was dating, she thought his behaviour was reasonable, and she did not think it necessary to inform Hotte's superiors at the RCMP.
When questioned by the victim's lawyer if she was happy with how she assessed the situation, she answered "I'd do it again if the same thing happened today."
Rufer also said if a fellow Laval officer acted the same way today "I wouldn't turn him in."
Life Sentence
Hotte is currently serving a life sentence without parole for Gelinas's murder.
During his June 23, 2001 rampage he paralyzed Pierre Mainville, and severely injured David Savard and Hugues Ducharme.
The trio are demanding the city of Laval and the RCMP pay them $3 million compensation for injuries and psychological damage.
Hotte was an RCMP marksman, and a bodyguard for prime minister Jean Chretien and Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe.
