Almost ten years ago, Justice Stephen Goudge released his report on his Inquiry into many of former doctor Charles Smith’s cases.
During this time, I have been hoping that a seasoned
journalist would write a definitive book on Smith
and the impact he had on his victims, their families and Ontario’s criminal
justice system.
Fortunately, that challenge has been taken on by CBC
producer John Chipman, author of
“Death in the Family” published earlier this month by Penguin/Random House.
Having devoted several years to the research and writing of this book, Chipman demonstrates an ability to approach his task
dispassionately while leaving the reader in no doubt about
the outrageous betrayal of Smith’s victims by the institutions that were
supposed to protect them.
The list includes the crusading “think dirty’ Chief Coroner’s Office, the zealous Hospital for Sick Children
(Smith’s employer), The College of Physicians and Surgeons (his oh-so-weak regulator), incompetent police officers, prosecutors who paraded Smith before the
courts as if he were a forensic ‘God’, heavy-handed children’s aid societies, and those media who chose to glorify
Smith and help him transform himself from a nonentity to the celebrated Dr.
Charles Randal Smith.
While working on the Smith story for almost 15 years, I did
my best to channel the simmering anger I felt at seeing so many grieving
parents and caregivers turned into
child killers as Smith manufactured murder where none existed.
But as Chipman drew me deeper and deeper into the lives of
people affected - like Bill
Mulllins-Johnson, Lianne Thibeault, Tammy Marquardt, Brenda Waudby,
the baby sitter in
Timmins, Anthony Kporwodu and Angela Veno – I found my simmering anger turning into near rage.
(This is the first book I have read in years that proved capable of moving me so profoundly).
I challenge anyone not to feel the same seering emotions when reading one of the chapter in which Tammy Marquardt (an innocent woman
whose son died of disease) arrives, as a convicted child murderer (thanks to
Charles Smith), at the
maximum-security Prison for Women.
“After intake , the new inmates were taken to see the OIC, or the officer-in-charge. His name was Barry
McGuinness, and he had some words of advice for Tammy. “If you want that child
to live,” he said, pointing to her stomach, “you don’t tell anyone what you’re in here for.”
It had never occurred to Tammy that none of the other inmates would know what she was in for. She asked McGuinness what
she should say if people asked.
“Tell them you killed your husband,” he said.
It was good advice, crucial advice; advice he didn’t have to
give her. She was never sure whether he told her for her baby’s sake, for her
own safety or to save himself the trouble of dealing with the aftermath if an
inmate tried to beat her to death.”
Also riveting
is Chipman’s account of Marquardt’s first meeting with one of P4W’s most famous inmates at the time.
“Hi, I’m Karla,” a bubbly Homolka said outside
Tammy’s cell. “If you need
anything, just holler up and I’ll get it for you .”
Tammy only nodded. She couldn’t bring herself to respond.”
After finishing my read of ‘Death in the family,’ I was struck by how much I had learned - and how much more I understood - even though I had been researching
and writing about Smith for more than 15 years.
Indeed, ‘Death in the Family’ contains a revelation, that took me totally by surprise, in
which Chipman, using his investigative talents, provides a credible
non-criminal explanation of a
baby’s death, which may have eluded death investigators, police, prosecutors, the parents
themselves – and even their lawyers.
This is breath-taking.
It’s Canadian journalism at its best.
A review of a 400-page book can scarcely do justice to its
subject matter – especially when each one of the cases discussed could have been a book in itself.
One of the questions most asked about Smith, is how a man
who purported be a good Christian
and to love the little children,
could have lied, twisted,
distorted, perjured, ‘lost’
evidence which showed his opinions were wrong, destroyed lives, and brought discredit to Ontario’s criminal justice system.
Chipman wisely avoids the usual psychobabble with which
people have attempted to explain Smith
- an immensely private man – as he focuses instead on how Smith was
perceived through his victim’s eyes.
Most had never heard of Charles Smith before their loved one died.
Now they will never forget him.
Death in the family’ is a marvelous, timely, humane, gripping read, loaded with insight, and shedding light on one of the most egregious series of
miscarriages of justice in Ontario’s history.
Go for it!
To order:
To order:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the
Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my
previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put
considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith
and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic
pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses
on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/
