DRUMHELLER — He apologized and admitted responsibility for his part in the deaths of four Alberta Mounties, but the National Parole Board still denied Dennis Cheeseman parole on Wednesday.
Cheeseman, 27, looked straight ahead at the two members of the National Parole Board who heard his application for both day and full parole.
He never looked back at the family members of three of the RCMP officers gunned down by James Roszko in Mayerthorpe, Alta., in March 2005.
“I’ve written this to apologize to the friends and family of the fallen four,” Cheeseman read slowly from a prepared statement.
“There’s nothing I can do to bring back your loved ones. I can apologize that I wasn’t assertive to Roszko that night. I could have called and made a great difference,” he said, his voice breaking.
“I hope you can forgive me. I have to live with the choice I made that night.”
Cheeseman pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the deaths of constables Peter Schiemann, Anthony Gordon, Brock Myrol and Leo Johnston.
The parents of the slain officers pleaded with the parole board to deny Cheeseman parole.
“His silence killed four good men,” said Colleen Myrol.
“Dennis Cheeseman has given each and every one of us a life sentence,” added Grace Johnston.
Keith Myrol said he doubted that Cheeseman will ever be a useful member of society.
“What’s next after manslaughter? I very much doubt he will ever become a law-abiding citizen,” he said quietly.
“All law-abiding citizens would find early release reprehensible and just plain wrong.”
Tears streamed down the faces of the parents, observers and even Correctional Service staff while victim impact statements were read.
Doreen Jewel-Duffy’s voice was barely audible as she struggled to get out the words.
“Since the murder of my son my world has turned upside down,” Gordon’s mother cried. “I still suffer physically, mentally and emotionally because of his death. I am angry his life was taken so soon.”
“My son was supposed to come home. Not in a coffin....Even one anonymous phone call would have prevented his death.”
Cheeseman and his brother-in-law gave Roszko a gun and a ride back to Roszko’s farm where he shot the Mounties in March 2005. The officers were guarding a Quonset hut on his property as part of a marijuana grow-op and automobile chop-shop investigation.
Cheeseman was sentenced to 12 years in prison but, with credit for his guilty plea and pre-trial custody, is serving a little more than seven years. Shawn Hennessey was sentenced to 15 years.
Cheeseman said he did discuss with Hennessey whether they should warn the police that Roszko was armed and dangerous, but his idea was rejected.
“I didn’t pull the trigger but I was part of it,” Cheeseman admitted during questioning.
“Are you guilty?” he was asked.
“Yes,” he replied. “I wasn’t a very assertive person. I was young and naive and let people make decisions for me,” Cheeseman added.
The Correctional Service of Canada had recommended day parole be granted but that he wasn’t ready for full parole. Cheeseman agreed he wasn’t ready. He assured the parole board members that he was learning to deal with his abuse of drugs and alcohol and had learned that he had to avoid hanging out with a bad group of friends.
“I’ve learned that for every bad action there is a bad consequence.”
His sister, Christine Hennessey, who is married to Shawn Hennessey, sat by his side to provide moral support. She also spoke on his behalf.
“Dennis and I have lived together my whole life. He is like a second father to my girls. My love for him is unconditional,” she said through tears.
“I will be there for my brother every step of the way. It is my hope you will give him a chance to be the person he can be.”
The parole board needed just 35 minutes to reach a decision.
“We are denying both day and full parole,” said one of the members.
“What you said was meant to please us. It’s very obvious that you are willing to compromise your beliefs and values.”
“You gave the answers that were the least incriminating to you,” he said.
“This is a person who really needs to dig deep to do what he needs to do.”
Cheeseman is scheduled for a mandatory hearing on full parole in April 2013 and is eligible for statutory release on Nov. 19, 2013.