Karla Homolka

Convicted killer Karla Homolka Teale still has two months to go in jail, and the hysteria's already reaching fever pitch. This morning's Montreal Gazette reports that Homolka may soon be moving to the west end Montreal neighbourhood of Notre Dame de Grace.

Other recent coverage includes panic over a related movie and the government of Ontario's desire to track her movements for the rest of her life (now guaranteed to be pretty miserable).

Homolka Teale was given a controversial 12-year sentence for helping kill two teenage girls with her hubby, Paul Bernardo (himself undoubtedly to rot in jail forever); part of her defence was that as an abused wife, she was only partially responsible for her actions.

In the intervening years, we've watched this play out. First, she was easy prey for killers seeking collaborators. Now she's an inhuman monster all on her own. I wrote this in 2000: "I've been wondering about the ethics of outing Karla Homolka. I've no sympathy for her; she's a murderer pure and simple. But is she allowed privacy?

"'Exclusive: Karla's Jailhouse Lover,' blared the cover of the March 26 Toronto Sun. 'She's waiting for killer's release so they can live together.' And the story is four full pages.

"First, the stupid stuff. Writers Alan Cairns and Laura Bobak (who should know better) have penned stereotypical rubbish. Stuff like how Homolka's lover Lynda Veronneau is a 'dominant criminal... who walks like a man and has a deep throaty voice.' In straight nightclubs, that voice is considered pretty sexy.

"Veronneau has denied a relationship with Homolka, but the Sun printed the gossip anyway.

"Veronneau is butch. Apparently, that also makes her 'a leader in her lesbian relationships.' Because Homolka was portrayed as husband Paul Bernardo's dupe in the sex killings of women, she now runs the risk of Veronneau (a thief and drug addict) controlling her in just the same way. (Methinks it's the femmes who have twisted me about their little fingers, and not the other way around.)

"A lawyer working against Homolka... is quoted as saying that the lesbian relationship proves that she's a liar. Homolka testified that she wasn’t a lesbian and that she didn't enjoy having sex with the kidnapped women.

"Was Homolka in charge, or playing out Bernardo's fantasies? Is she bisexual, or have her sexual interests changed? Can she pay her debt to society and be rehabilitated, or is she a [psychopath who'll continue on]? These are questions that can't be answered.

"And what does any of that mean for her right to privacy?"