Reading law means reading sad stories. This has to be one of the saddest I've ever read, although it's also kind of kick-ass. And it's also very compelling as a narrative, something about the writing transcends the matter-of-fact context.

On August 25, 2005, the Appellant entered Wal-Mart store in Victoria. He went to the layaway counter. J. H. was behind the counter. The Appellant approached her and placed his arm around her body. He put a knife to her throat. While he was holding her, another Wal-Mart employee came to help. The Appellant said: "go away or I'll slice her". Mr. P. left and called 911. The Appellant took Ms. H to the rear of the store with the knife to her throat. He asked her where the store managers would be. She told him they were downstairs. He continued to walk wither and they ended up in the staff lounge. Another employee was present, P. D. The Appellant spoke to Ms. D., but kept the knife to the throat of Ms. H. Ms. B. entered the room. The Appellant began to speak frantically about Wal-Mart, saying that it was killing people's dreams and hurting people. He talked about how Wal-Mart had hurt him. He said: "I don't care if people die here today. I don't give a fuck. Wal-Mart owes society. Wal-Mart destroys people." The Appellant asked the women if they had children; whether they gave money to beggars; whether they had ever been hungry or had to sleep with cockroaches. He would not allow the women to leave. A manager of the store was summoned to the lounge. He appeared and asked the Appellant what he wanted. The Appellant said "I want all the money the store -- in the store". The Appellant did not obtain money. The police arrived. They were taken to the staff lounge and positioned themselves near the door. They were able to see the Appellant and when he was about 10 feet away from the women, the police burst into the room and knocked the Appellant over. Their firearms were drawn. The Appellant was struck on the left side of his forehead with the butt of a handgun. He fell backwards into a chair and was arrested. During the course of the altercation, Ms. B was knocked over by the Appellant, but not injured. The entire incident lasted approximately 25 minutes.

The Appellant told police that he did not want to hurt anyone. He just wanted Wal-Mart to know that it was destroying the lives of people. He said the store needed to learn that it's about people, not about money. He said he wanted to go back to jail. It was too hard on the outside. The Appellant said he previously volunteered at Wal-Mart through a work experience program. He was promised a job, but never received one. He displayed a wide range of emotions to police, from anger to crying.

-- R. v. Rae, 2006 BCCA 125