Rick Dean
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http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/N.../23/510514.html
Trafficking lawyer gets 4 years
USED POSITION OF TRUST TO SMUGGLE $30GS IN DRUGS INTO DON JAIL
By GRETCHEN DRUMMIE, COURTS BUREAU
A TORONTO criminal lawyer was imprisoned four years yesterday for passing $30,000 of drugs to a Don Jail inmate. It's the first known conviction and sentencing involving a lawyer trafficking illegal drugs into a jail in Canada.
"I did not do this," said Raymond Li, professing innocence to the end.
"This can't happen again,&q
ot; said federal Crown attorney Nick Devlin. "This must be the first and last case."
Li, 37, was convicted of trafficking charges for passing hash, pot and 29 grams of heroin to An Nguyen
on Nov. 21, 2001 while visiting him inside an interview room at Don Jail.
A guard saw Li touch hands wit
h Nguyen under a table and a later search of Nguyen revealed a pack containing the drugs attached to his leg.
Justice Frank Caputo said Li, used his position of trust as a barrister and solicitor to break the law.
Devlin said lawyers have the "exceptional privilege" of going into jails unsearched because they are trusted "not to do what Mr. Li has done."
"We depend on lawyers to be honest and faithful to their duties," Devlin said. "What Mr. Li has done is a breach of that."
Caputo added that it's aggravating Li took narcotics into a jail, noting it compromises the integrity of a secure facility, endangers safety and defea
ts the purpose of rehabilitation.
He said the amount was not for personal use and the crime was "premeditated" with some "sophistication."
Li, a lawyer for 10 years,
focusing mainly on criminal law, has already experienced "humiliation, embarrassment ... shame," and loss of reputation, said his lawyer John Mann. He said it's cost Li his childhood "dream" of b
eing a lawyer.
Trafficking lawyer gets 4 years
USED POSITION OF TRUST TO SMUGGLE $30GS IN DRUGS INTO DON JAIL
By GRETCHEN DRUMMIE, COURTS BUREAU
A TORONTO criminal lawyer was imprisoned four years yesterday for passing $30,000 of drugs to a Don Jail inmate. It's the first known conviction and sentencing involving a lawyer trafficking illegal drugs into a jail in Canada.
"I did not do this," said Raymond Li, professing innocence to the end.
"This can't happen again,&q
ot; said federal Crown attorney Nick Devlin. "This must be the first and last case."
Li, 37, was convicted of trafficking charges for passing hash, pot and 29 grams of heroin to An Nguyen
on Nov. 21, 2001 while visiting him inside an interview room at Don Jail.
A guard saw Li touch hands wit
h Nguyen under a table and a later search of Nguyen revealed a pack containing the drugs attached to his leg.
Justice Frank Caputo said Li, used his position of trust as a barrister and solicitor to break the law.
Devlin said lawyers have the "exceptional privilege" of going into jails unsearched because they are trusted "not to do what Mr. Li has done."
"We depend on lawyers to be honest and faithful to their duties," Devlin said. "What Mr. Li has done is a breach of that."
Caputo added that it's aggravating Li took narcotics into a jail, noting it compromises the integrity of a secure facility, endangers safety and defea
ts the purpose of rehabilitation.
He said the amount was not for personal use and the crime was "premeditated" with some "sophistication."
Li, a lawyer for 10 years,
focusing mainly on criminal law, has already experienced "humiliation, embarrassment ... shame," and loss of reputation, said his lawyer John Mann. He said it's cost Li his childhood "dream" of b
eing a lawyer.