Imprisonment Would Be of No Assistance to the Accused': Angione, 1974

• Author: Constance Backhouse
• Pages: 263-285



EChapterF

“IMPRISONMENT WOULD

BE OF NO ASSISTANCE TO

THEACCUSEDAngione

T   in judgeschambers try ing to hammer out a set

tlementfortheaemptedrapecasesetfortrialdownstairsintheWindsor

Courthouse. Ontario Supreme Court judge Edson Livingstone Haines had

called the lawyers into his private chambers to di scuss a plea bargain. Frank

JosephMontellothedefencelawyerwaskeenontheideahisclientwas

probablyfacingtwotothreeyearsofpenitentiarytimeifhewereconvict

ed of the sexual assault he was charged with perpetrating upon his female

employeeRaymondJHoulahantheCrownprosecutorwasabitmorere

luctant because Montello was proposing a very unusual resolution. He was

oeringaguiltypleatothelessseriousoenceofindecentassaultonthe

conditionthathisclientpayrestitutionoftothevictiminsteadof

going to jail. Montello had brought the cash with him, to demonstrate his cli

entssincerityandwascountingouthundreddollarbillsonJudgeHainess

deskHepausedpeeredupatthebigwindowalongsidethejudgesdesk

andqueriedShouldthatfellowbelookingatusHainesandHoulahan

lookedupstartledtoanemptywindowandonlythenrealizedthatMon

tellowaskiddingTheycontinuedtodiscussthepleabargainJudgeHaines

hadareputationasamaverickwholikedtoselecasesItwasSeptem

berandinnovationwasintheair

Montello and Houlahan were no strangers to each other. They had squared

obeforeadierentjudgeearlierinSeptemberinatendaytrialforgangrape

HoulahanhadaccusedMontellothenoftryingtoblackenthecomplainants

reputationMontellowhodescribedHoulahanasaveryfeistyCrownlost

ﾆﾊﾈCarnalCrimes

FirstlawrmstrikelaunchedWindsorStarSeptemberat