Meat from Canada Farm May Have Had Human Remains

reuters ^ | 3/10/04

[knak]

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Pork products processed and distributed from the farm of accused Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton may have contained human remains, a provincial health official said on Wednesday.

Pickton raised and slaughtered pigs at the Port Coquitlam farm as a part-time occupation until his arrest at the property in February 2002, and police believe he gave or sold processed meat products to friends and acquaintances.

Pickton, 53, is awaiting trial in the killings of at least 22 of more than 60 missing Vancouver prostitutes who disappeared over the past decade and are feared to have been murdered at the dilapidated farm 20 miles east of Vancouver.

"Given the state of the farm, and what we know about the investigation, we cannot rule out the possibility that cross-contamination may have occurred," B.C. Provincial Health Officer Perry Kendall told reporters in Victoria.

"Cross-contamination could mean that human remains did get into or contaminate some of the pork meat," Kendall said.

Pickton's farm and pig slaughtering operation was not officially licensed, and Kendal said there was "no evidence any of the meat" went into the commercial trade."

Kendall said he issued the warning based on information received from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and he did not know how much meat might have been distributed before Pickton was arrested.

Pickton is officially charged with 15 murders but prosecutors have said seven more counts are waiting to be filed. Tests have identified the DNA of nine more women, but not yet resulted in charges.

The victims were among more than 60 drug-addicted prostitutes who disappeared from Vancouver's poor Downtown Eastside neighborhood.

Pickton, in custody since his arrest, is the only person charged in the case. He has not entered a plea to the criminal charges but denied wrongdoing in a related civil lawsuit.

Officials are not expected to start Pickton's criminal trial until late this year, when laboratories have tested thousands of pieces of evidence collected at the farm for human DNA.

[knak]

ggggrrrose

[mass55th]

Parts is parts.

[knews_hound]

Bump for the saracstic comments that follow.

Cheers,

knews hound

[Born Conservative]

I'M HAVING A FRIEND FOR DINNER...

[swilhelm73]

Well this being Canada the guy will be out in what 10 years?

Might have to swear off the Canadian bacon for good...

[July 4th]

I could go for a nice Chianti right now...

[sneakers]

yuck

[cmsgop]

HUMAN......"The Other White Meat"

[spunkets]

"Parts is parts."

In those parts, not in these parts.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[Solamente]

Waiter! My pigs feet have round heels!

[Born Conservative]

Pork-the other white meat...

[Polybius]

Vancouver, British Columbia?

That's right next door. This is one story that the wife and kids definitely don't need to hear about. I can't go through life with a vegan family.

[correctthought]

MMmmmmm, long pork!

[Bosco]

Soylent Green is People!

[Dog Gone]

I thought some of that sausage tasted like chicken.

[Paul Atreides]

If any of the victims were liberals, they'll have a tough time telling their parts from the pig parts.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Why do you think they call it Headcheese?

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

It says a lot about our society that the responses to this horrible crime are like yours. Very sad.

[skinkinthegrass]

I'm feeling a bit peckish... :/