Kelvin Kingsbury Purdy's application for an early parole hearing was denied by a B.C. Supreme Court judge. Purdy continues denying the fatal stabbing ambush of his estranged wife Denis Purdy, on Dec. 12, 2003 in north Nanaimo. (CHEK News)

By Ian Holmes

rejected

Early parole hearing denied for convicted Nanaimo murderer

Feb 25, 2020 | 6:03 PM

NANAIMO — A BC Supreme Court judge ruled “persistent serious character concerns” prevent a convicted murderer from an early parole hearing.

Kelvin Kingsbury Purdy, 51, presented his case before Justice Douglas Thompson earlier this month in Nanaimo to have his Dec. 12, 2022 parole eligibility date fast-tracked. He was convicted of the Dec. 12, 2003 murder of his estranged wife Denise Purdy.

In a written decision, Justice Thompson believed Purdy had a 10 per cent chance of reducing his parole.

“While I do not characterize Mr. Purdy’s application as entirely hopeless or frivolous, when I take account of all of the relevant circumstances, I assess his chances of persuading all members of a 12-member jury to reduce his parole eligibility period as fairly dismal,” Justice Thompson wrote.

The self-represented Purdy reiterated his long-standing denial of the crime during the Feb. 11-12 hearing in Nanaimo. The screening hearing, commonly referred to as the faint hope clause, heard Purdy argue the case against him was circumstantial with a lack of his DNA at the crime scene.

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During the hearing, Crown attorney Ruth Picha pointed to several Correctional Service of Canada reports stating Purdy persistently downplayed his risk to the public and he had an inability to talk about his use of violence.

Picha outlined a disturbing sequence of behaviour by Purdy, including mailing condolences cards to a jury member and his daughter-in-law.

The cards were in response to the death of the juror’s son in 2013.

Justice Thompson acknowledged Purdy has largely obeyed prison rules, is quiet, polite and there is no evidence Purdy used illicit drugs while incarcerated.

Last month, Purdy’s application for day parole was denied.

Justice Thompson referenced the Parole Board’s findings of Purdy not accepting responsibility for the murder, a failure to demonstrate any visible signs of empathy and lack of insight into his risk factors.

The Board assessed Purdy as a low risk for general and violent offending and a moderate risk for intimate partner violence.

Purdy was also described by the Board as “highly egocentric”.

Previous provincial and federal court appeals of Purdy’s conviction were also denied.

Purdy has an active application before the federal Justice Minister, who has the power to review a conviction to determine whether a miscarriage of justice may have occurred.

He had no prior criminal record.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes