'We probably shouldn't jump to convicting someone': UWindsor legal expert shares insight as murder suspect arrested after repeatedly violating bail conditions

Following the arrest of a 24-year-old murder suspect for repeated bail violations after being charged in 2018, the mother of the murder victim is speaking out, while a University of Windsor professor is urging caution when it comes to Canada’s criminal justice system.

Windsor police announced on Tuesday Raul Huezo was brought back into custody for allegedly breaching the conditions of his bail — which included GPS monitoring and restrictions on weapons possession — repeatedly.

Windsor police have now additionally charged him with two counts of failure to comply.

Those conditions were put in place four years ago when Huezo was let out awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges in the 2018 shooting death of 18-year-old Darion Moffatt on Hall Avenue.

But while Moffat’s mother is relieved the man accused of killing her son has been arrested, she’s left wondering why he was let out on bail in the first place.

“I feel like our system is broken, and it's sad that someone is even released as many times as he has been,” said Carolyn Crankshaw.

Darrion Moffatt is seen in this undated photo. (Courtesy GoFundMe.com)It’s a criticism of Canada’s bail system that has been picked up by Conservative politicians like Federal Leader Pierre Poilievre and Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

"I'm sick and tired of judges letting these people out on bail,” Ford said back in February at Queen's Park.

University of Windsor Associate Law Professor Denardo Jones however said bail is a crucial part of Canada’s criminal justice system and urges caution.

"This person is still a candidate — as all of us are — for a fair trial,” he said.

Jones said this has particular importance now, especially in the wake of the Umar Zameer case in Toronto.

Zameer was charged with murder in the 2021 death of a Toronto police officer, and his bail received community and political backlash. Last month he was found not guilty of all charges.

Police are on scene at Hall Avenue on Sunday, Sept. 9 after one person was taken to hospital with undisclosed injuries. (Ricardo Veneza / CTV Windsor)

"If we've learned anything from that case, is that we probably shouldn't jump to, you know, convicting someone just because of the type of offence or who the victim is, or who the complainants are,” he said.

The federal government has responded to concerns and criticisms of the bail system, and passed new reforms that took effect on Jan. 4, 2024 aimed at preventing repeat violent offenders from being released.

"These are rights that we should not water down. These are rights that we should jealously guard, because you may find yourself in a situation where you want those rights to stand,” said Jones.

Raul Huezo's trial for the 2018 murder is scheduled for September, with five weeks set aside.

This comes nearly six years after Moffatt was killed.

— With files from CTV News Windsor’s Melanie Kentner and CTV News Toronto’s Phil Tsekouras