Hey, it's Nancy. Before we begin today, I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to Crime Beat early and ad-free on Amazon music included with Prime.

A listener's note. The following episode contains coarse language, adult themes, and content of a violent and disturbing nature nature and may not be suitable for everyone.

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I've been a journalist for nearly three decades.

Over those 29 years, I've sat in countless courtrooms and spent thousands of hours in trials and criminal proceedings.

I cover cases from start to finish and stick with these stories for years.

I attend a lot of parole board hearings, which involves receiving board approval, and to get that,

there's paperwork with applications for special media clearance. For many years, I would have to

attend in person, which meant going to the prison where the offender was serving their sentence.

It's a daunting experience going through the prison security checks.

You have to leave all personal belongings and electronic devices behind.

Then, with just a pen and notepad in hand, I would be escorted through the institution

to a relatively small room, where there are always parole board members, often

victim's family members, and of course, the offender. I would be seated just feet away from the

convicted criminal. In these very close quarters, I would hear deeply emotional statements from a

victim's family, followed by a question

and answer period between the board members and the offender. Since 2020, I've been attending

these hearings remotely. There are still special conditions and security requirements, but

logistically, it allows me to attend more hearings,

especially when some are held in other provinces.

That was the case on January 7th of this year, when a hearing was held on Vancouver Island in

BC. I watched on a video link as a convicted killer

...