Mr Monette

I was arrested twice as a teenager. (No criminal record by grace of laws pertaining to young offenders.) I grew up at a time (’80s and ’90s) in Toronto when youth gangs were prevalent in my neighbourhood. However, up until age 16, I had mostly avoided that subculture as I had gravitated towards church when I was young.

My first arrest was related to a shoplifting incident that morphed into a bloody affair after trying to run away from mall security when I was confronted for my deed. The second arrest was for an incident at school where the victim was hospitalised and I was expelled.

I was held briefly at a youth detention facility on my first arrest. I was initially frightened when placed there, but it turned out that half of the other people detained with me were childhood friends or friends of friends.

I was represented in the courts both times by Mr Monette, my Legal Aid-assigned lawyer. The Crown (prosecution) sought six months closed custody upon my second conviction, based on the recommendation of my (unsympathetic) probation officer. However, my lawyer pushed back. His strategy was to seek a more lenient sentence by submitting positive character reference letters of me to the judge. We appealed to teachers, work colleagues (from my restaurant job), and members of my old church. Although an erstwhile Sunday school teacher declined my request, the plan worked, and I performed community service in lieu of prison time.

If I had been sent to jail, I would have likely ended up with dead-end future prospects and become just another statistic about a wasted life. I am forever indebted to Mr Monette.