Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Toronto G20 rioter sentenced to 7 months in jail hollywoodtone.blogspot.com

Written By ADMIN; About: Toronto G20 rioter sentenced to 7 months in jail hollywoodtone.blogspot.com on Tuesday, February 4, 2014

hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Toronto G20 rioter sentenced to 7 months in jail
Toronto - In addition to the seven-month jail sentence, Richard Dean Morano was ordered to pay $3,500 in damages and placed on probation for two years for his role in the G20 riots that took place in June 2010.

Morano, 23, an American who lives in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, appeared in a Toronto courtroom yesterday for sentencing. Morano was charged with 14 offences including mischief endangering life, assaulting a police officer with a weapon, mischief endangering live and six counts of mischief over $5,000. Morano was one of several people, known as members of the "black bloc," who rioted in downtown Toronto during the G20 summit held in the city. He was arrested on June 26, 2010. Last November, Morano pleaded guilty to five counts of mischief and one count of mischief endangering life for smashing the windows of a store while employees were inside. He was one of the people who swarmed a police car while an officer was in it, breaking the windows. The officer, Staff-Sgt. Graham Queen, was struck on the head with a blunt object. According to an agreed statement of facts, Morano did not know the officer was in the car at the time. Morano also admitted smashing the windows of a bank and other retail businesses. At the sentencing hearing, Justice Marvin Zuker acknowledged that Morano has already been stigmatized by his actions. In his reasons for sentence, Zuker said, "A public charge, trial and conviction for a serious offence brands a person for life, constitutes serious punishment, and is an important part of the way society brings offenders to account for their misconduct." Last month, Morano sent a letter to the court apologizing for his actions. He wrote, "Although at the time I never meant to hurt, intimidate or scare anyone at the protest, I now realize my actions did precisely that. My thoughtlessness and selfish actions created a black mark on the image of Toronto." Morano has been given credit for the two weeks he has already spent in custody. And a term of his probation is that he not be in the city of Toronto after his sentence is completed. Two other Americans are due to appear in court next week to answer charges arising from the G20 summit.

hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Toronto G20 rioter sentenced to 7 months in jail