Graham James Granted Bail

A judge says he will grant bail to disgraced former junior hockey coach Graham James, who is facing new sex charges.

Final conditions for his release won't be set until next week.
James is to remain in jail until then.

James faces nine charges stemming from alleged incidents between 1979 to 1994 involving three boys, including former NHL All-Star Theo Fleury.

James, who is 58, served more than a year in jail in the late 1990s for assaulting three young hockey players, including NHL player Sheldon Kennedy.

James was pardoned and moved to Mexico, setting off an entirely new firestorm about the pardoning laws in the country. Here's when CBC's Bob McKeown tracked him down south of the border...
((HT: CBC/Youtube))


James returned to Canada after Winnipeg police issued a warrant on the new charges back in October.

Here's Fleury discussing the new charges brought on James back when Fleury was promoting his book, "Playing With Fire," with CBC/QTV's Jian Ghomeshi...
((HT: CBC/QTV))

New Charges Brought On Graham James

A Canada-wide warrant for convicted sex offender Graham James will be issued based on allegations from multiple accusers.

Police in Winnipeg, Manitoba are issuing new charges against the former junior hockey coach, who plead guilty to hundreds of incidents of sexual assault involving two teenaged hockey players under his influence.

James was sentenced to three and half years in prison in 1997 and, ten years later, received a pardon from the National Parole Board of Canada.

Theo Fleury's autobiography details new allegations against James.

Former NHL'er Sheldon Kennedy and another individual went to police in 1996, resulting in James' original guilty plea, but Fleury's allegations have not resulted in charges until today.

"I'm grateful to the Winnipeg Police for responding to my complaint," said a statement posted on Fleury's website.

"I know it took a while, but these things have to be done right."

Here's CBC's Bob McKeown tracking down James in May of 2010...
In Guadalajara, Mexico... yeah, he wasn't running...
((HT: CBC/Youtube))


Sludge... and that doesn't even begin to cover it...

Canada Examining Pardon Process In Wake Of James Result

Right on the heels of another junior hockey player coming forward with sexual abuse allegations against former junior hockey coach Graham James, the National Parole Board is having to explain granting James a pardon in 2007 after he completed a 3½-year prison sentence.

Problem was: No one knew until Sunday after another accuser contacted Winnipeg police about James.

Their explanation according to CBC News:

"The Criminal Records Act does not differentiate pardon applicants by the type of offence they have committed, nor does it allow the board to refuse to grant a person a pardon based on the nature of their crime," said the statement by Caroline Douglas, a spokeswoman for the board.

"A pardon is not meant to erase or excuse a criminal act. A pardon means that the record of the conviction is kept separate and apart from other criminal records."

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews says the federal government will look into giving the National Parole Board more "direction."

"These things should not just be rubber-stamped," Toews said when the news broke. "There may have to be more consideration by the board given to the particular type of offence, and at the present time the board is not entitled to differentiate between offences."

The government could decide to ban sex criminals from receiving pardons or lengthen the waiting time before applying, Toews suggested.

Jim Brown of CBC Radio/Calgary talks with the parliamentary secretary within the Public Safety ministry in an attempt to explain the James pardon...

Here's Sheldon Kennedy, obviously disappointed in the process and the lack of notification on James' pardon...
((HT: CP/Waterloo Record))


Michael Platt of the Calgary Sun reports another former junior hockey star now undergoing therapy in Calgary has added his name to a list of players pursuing sexual-abuse charges against James.

The unidentified player has asked police to investigate allegations of sexual abuse during the 1990s while on a team in Saskatchewan. Remember... James, who has already been convicted of abusing two former players, coached the Swift Current Broncos from 1986 to 1994.

There are also reports out of Manitoba province that two more players are seeking charges against James who coached the Fort Garry Blues in the 1980s.