What Is The Most Famous Trial Of Paul Bernanrdo And Karla Hamolka Case

Crime occurs almost every day, whether it is a major or a minor crime. People steal, commit

corporate crimes and even kill. Canada is viewed as being a very safe and stable place to live

because people are lucky enough to have healthcare, benefits for unemployment and family

needs, as well as maternity leave. However, even in the most peaceful countries crimes occurs.

One of the most famous trial in Canadian history is the Paul Bernanrdo and Karla Hamolka case,

also both known as “The Ken and Barbie Killers”.

Paul Bernardo was born in Canada and he comes from a family where the father beaten the

mother constantly. Paul’s father was recognized of child molestation on a young girl and his

own daughter. This situation

Since, the early age, he faced the maltreatment that his

mother had to endure and did not find it incorrect, for him it was totally normal. ( une citation)

Karla Hamolka was the oldest of the three daughters that the Hamolka’s had. She attended high

school while having a part-time job at a veterinary clinic. On October 1987, Paul and Karla meet

for the first time in a restaurant with friends – she was 17 and he was 23. They also slept

together the first night and Karla was encouraging his sexual sadist behavior, comparing to the

others girls that he dated. ( citation)

Paul committed his first rape on a woman of 21 years old, in May 1987. However, he had a big

interest in Karla’s sister and before marring Karla he insisted on an organization of a rape of her

sister , Tammy Hamolka, in order to take her virginity. Karla accepts and even steals anesthetics

from the veterinary clinic where she works – surprising, yet true she organized the rape of her

own little sister. Tammy end up dying during the rape, but the couple cleans the crime scene

and are not suspected bye the police when they arrive with an ambulance. From

December 1990 to April 1992, with the help of his wife, Paul will rape, torture, and kill

Two main issues were raised before and during the trial; a plea bargain and a publication ban.

Karla Hamolka did want to give any evidence against Paul, but the police needed one in order to

charge him. She accepted to talk only if she had a reduced sentence; basically in exchange for a

plea bargain she gave the evidence. She portrayed the ex-wife that was beaten by her husband

and forced to participate in those rape activities. However, the rape videos were released during

the trial and the images showed clearly that Karla was not forced to participate and even

enjoyed it. This is where the controversy comes; Karla was as much guilty as Paul or even more

according to some people, but the prosecutors could do nothing because in exchange for plea

barging she testified crucial evidence. The prosecutors said that they would have never agreed

to the plea bargain if they had seen the tapes. However, the plea bargain received a lot of

criticisms from Canadians. A lot of questions were raised, where comes the limit to the use of

plea bargain? Did the prosecutors do enough digging before turning to the plea bargain