A rchive Date
[ 23-02-2002 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Canada ]
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[http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonNews/es.es-02-22-0004.html
Give me life!
Man who plotted to kill mom wants judge to throw away the key
By TONY BLAIS, Edmonton Sun
Friday, February 22, 2002
In a bizarre twist straight out of a Hollywood movie, a city man yesterday asked to be sentenced to life in prison for hiring a hit man to kill his adopted mother, a well-known Alberta environmentalist.
Court heard the unusual request - which is much stiffer than the 15-year prison term sought by the Crown - was to stop the man from getting out and trying to kill her again.
Daniel Thomas Kostuch, 27, made his odd petition to Queen's Bench Justice Frans Slatter through his lawyer, after pleading guilty to counselling the offence of murder.
Defence lawyer Mona Duckett reluctantly relayed Kostuch's instructions, saying his intent is "to protect his mother," which she called an "interesting contradiction."
Duckett, who told the court a proper sentence would be one in the high single digits, said Kostuch is fearful of the anger inside him and doesn't currently trust himself to be in the community without first getting treatment.
Kostuch also pleaded his own case with the judge.
"I realize what I did was wrong," he said. "I can't express to you or tell you how I feel still to this day, which is not much different than I did 10-and-a-half months ago.
"That's why I asked for a life sentence," he continued. "I figure if I do have a life sentence, I'll be forced to take treatment and do the programming they want ... I don't want to get out. I'm tired of feeling the way I feel ... all this junk and garbage inside of me. It's what I asked for and it's what I think I need to help myself."
Slatter is to sentence Kostuch today.
Reading from an agreed statement of facts, Crown prosecutor Susan Hughson said in early March 2001, Kostuch asked a friend he had met while on parole whether he would kill his adopted mother, Martha Kostuch, for $25,000.
The money was to come from an inheritance from the estate of Martha Kostuch, a Rocky Mountain House veterinarian who is a vocal environmentalist, court heard.
Hughson said Daniel Kostuch's friend contacted police who set up an undercover operation April 4. Court heard Kostuch offered an undercover RCMP officer $40,000 to murder his mother and suggested using an injured animal ploy to get to her.
Kostuch told the cop he had been planning the murder for 13 years because of a "hatred" that had built up, and he expected to inherit $200,000 from his mother's estate which he said he would use to fulfil his dream of owning a bar.
Kostuch also offered $10,000 for any additional people he might have to kill during the hit, court heard.
Hughson said it was a "despicable offence" and Kostuch showed a "chilling determination" to carry out the plot, which she characterized as "almost an ultimate betrayal of the woman who adopted him."
Hughson also cited a letter Kostuch wrote to his mother last month in which he says he is not sure if he would ever try to have her or anyone else killed and that he is always thinking of ways to have people killed.
The letter begins with "Dear Mom" and ends: "I am so scared that I'll never ever be able to be normal again."
In a statement, Martha Kostuch said she worries her son might try to do it again - but she still "very much" loves him.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]]
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