Mountie pleads guilty to assaulting his wife (given a conditional discharge)
Date: Mar 13, 2008 12:12 PM
PUBLICATION: The Calgary Sun
DATE: 2008.03.13
EDITION: Final
SECTION: News
PAGE: 26
BYLINE: TAMAS VIRAG, CP
DATELINE: GRANDE PRAIRIE
WORD COUNT: 264

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Mountie pleads guilty to assault Officer discharged for abusing wife

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A Grande Prairie Mountie has been given a conditional discharge after pleading guilty
to assaulting his wife and possessing a weapon dangerous to the public peace.

Provincial court was told yesterday that Const. Richard James Davis was charged
in early 2007 after his “traumatized” wife complained to police her husband
had been physically and mentally abusing her since the summer of 2006.

Outside court, Crown prosecutor Murray McPherson explained that in the middle of
one session of abuse, Davis pulled out his RCMP-issued handgun and pointed it at
himself.

Davis had originally also been charged with criminal harassment and uttering threats,
but those charges were dropped yesterday.

Court was told Davis has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has gone to great
lengths to deal with the illness.

McPherson said Davis put his wife through “serious abuse,” but added that
sending him to prison or giving him house arrest “would not do justice.”

McPherson repeatedly praised the efforts of the RCMP, calling their investigation
into the matter “proper and thorough” and adding that Davis was asked
to turn in his firearm when he was arrested.

Judge Jim Watson was told that both McPherson and defence lawyer Rod Gregory were
recommending the conditional discharge, which will let the officer walk away with
no criminal record if he abides by the conditions of probation for 15 months.

Watson said the fact Davis assaulted a spouse is an aggravating factor, but said
his lack of criminal record and “early recognition of the problem” worked
in his favour.

Davis must receive counselling and will be banned from consuming alcohol for the
length of the probation. He also is not allowed to possess firearms for the next
five years, unless given written permission by the RCMP.

The couple has five children between the ages of five and 19. Davis, who joined
the RCMP in 2001, has been on paid leave.

The Second Amendment IS Homeland Security !