Karen's Victim Impact Statement
In October 2009, Yvonne Johnson was once again eligible for parole. Some restrictions were lifted with regard to escorted leaves, but full day parole was denied. Karen read a victim impact statment at the hearing in Calgary. Click here to read.
In January 2008, Yvonne Johnson, one of Chuck's convicted murderers, was eligible for parole after serving 19 years of her life sentence. Our family was asked to present Victim Impact Statements, which we read to the parole board at her hearing. Click here to read.
In September 2005, Yvonne Johnson was first eligible for parole after serving 15 years of her life sentence. Our family was asked to present Victim Impact Statements, which we read to the parole board at her hearing. Ms. Johnson was granted a series of escorted visits. Click here to read Karen's statement from that hearing.
Victim Impact Statement - March 2010
I am the common-law widow of Leonard Charles (Chuck) Skwarok, and the mother of his daughter Amanda. I was taken by the rush of another Parole Hearing. It has been approximately six months since we were last here.
The only reason I am here is to read my victim’s impact statement. If I am not here it is just a piece of paper filed with other documents. Since 2005 this is the fourth time I travelled to attend a hearing. We travel over 1, 682 miles each way to come to the hearing. I miss work and pay. These hearings are full of lies.
• Yvonne lied about the drum. My family has been on their healing journey for some time. We did not need your gifts to heal.
• Yvonne is not diagnosed with depression but she has her moments and she has had anti-depressants for a short time.
• Yvonne denied signing the books at Berkana Benefit Concert yet it states that on the internet in Berkana Newsletter that she did a book signing. (Who is lying, the newsletter or her?)
• Yvonne denies sexually abusing Chuck yet she participated. Don’t you think you were an accomplice? You chose to participate.
• The list continues….
The questions are simple. If you did it admit it. It’s done. Chuck is gone and you are already doing time for it. All we ever wanted was the TRUTH.
Justice happens when people feel valued and respected in our society. Since day one we have not had that…but in saying that we will never give up. Should you get out today, I wish you luck but if there is another Parole Hearing you will definitely see us again.
Karen Chaboyer
Victim Impact Statement - October 2009
I am the common-law widow of Leonard Charles (Chuck) Skwarok, and the mother of his daughter Amanda. I believe that convicted murderer, Yvonne Johnson, has neither in her own mind assumed any responsibility for her part in the murder of my ex-common-law husband, nor come to a sincere understanding of the continued impact of this crime on my family.
This is to Yvonne. I base this claim on the fact that I continually find information on the internet that gives me details of current events in which YOU have participated. At the last parole hearing in January 2008, I stated in my victim impact statement that there was a Ballad of Yvonne Johnson on the internet. YOU (Yvonne) stated YOU were not aware of this. I found that in August 2008 YOU participated in a benefit concert (taken off the internet: Downtown Calgary - Berkana Benefit with Eliza Glikyson August 1, 2008) with the writer, Eliza Gilkyson, and followed by a viewing and signing of YOUR book. It stated "Johnson shares a writing credit for it and recently contacted Gilkyson through co-author Rudy Wiebe to express her delight about the song" (taken from Yvonne Johnson - Pride from Pain by Margaret Moser).
The ballad goes on to say "I pray: Help me to make my amends to those that I have harmed. Grant them love and peace so they understand I'm sorry. Help me share my shame and pain so others they might do the same" (also take from Yvonne Johnson - Pride from Pain by Margaret Moser).
We had discussed this with YOU (Yvonne) in March 2004 (Safe Justice Encounter Program), in September 2005 (Parole Hearing), January 2008 (Parole Hearing) and we are stating it again, "My family is hurt when you promote YOUR book!" Yvonne, YOU knew how we felt yet YOU go forward and continued to promote it.
I feel drained from the repetition words I have been stating. I know my words have fallen upon deaf ears. The crime is done. Since September 15th, 1989 it has all been about YOU. What a poor childhood YOU had, how YOU were picked out from four assailants to get a life sentence (even though we know that Ernie Jensen is still incarcerated), how YOU miraculously changed after YOU murdered Chuck, how YOU managed to profit off a crime while incarcerated, (CTV News, Sep. 22 2005 11:32 PM ET), how YOU managed to go out to promote YOUR book while incarcerated, how Alberta's law was passed about profiting off a crime but YOU managed to get by because it is not retroactive, how YOU manage to receive $500.00 per year from YOUR royalties of YOUR book, how Stolen Life is in all Colleges and Universities as a required reading, therefore YOU have a steady flow of income. This book is not only in Canada but it is also published globally in different languages. Stolen Life was going to be a movie but YOU said that there was a change in plans. We are wondering why the movie would be made into movie script. (Astral Media, May 24, 2005) I have to remain skeptical about this for I do not trust YOUR (Yvonne and Rudy) motives. I have been defending my loved one since the release of Stolen Life: A Journey of a Cree Woman, 1998. This has been a non-ending ordeal. I have no dilemma with the other assailants. They did their time. They did not profit off a crime.
This whole ordeal has affected my family. I also come from the bear clan and when you upset a bear and her cubs she gets protective. YOU have hurt my children for the past twenty years…. and its still ON GOING!! Their childhood has been a roller coaster filled with painful emotions and this makes me angry. For twenty years we had to put up with YOUR self-centeredness, YOUR denial, and YOUR lack of accountability. YOU only live from the head up, YOUR heart is dead.
Recently I requested another circle with YOU, and YOU denied it. Are YOU remorseful? I still feel that YOU have not taken responsibility for killing an innocent man. I feel that YOU are blaming everyone else for YOUR conduct. In fact I have reason to believe that YOU still feel it is me and my family who are holding YOU accountable. Any overture we've made to working with YOU has been met with resistance. YOU remain defensive. Until I see YOU taking responsibility and actually trying to address and admit the harm that YOU have done, I have grave doubts about YOUR ability to fit into society, but don't worry because justice always works against us. You were given a life sentenced yet YOU were allowed to publish a book, YOU were allowed to promote it and YOU were allowed to receive royalties while incarcerated. I have no faith in the justice system. I am frustrated. I am hurt. I find the Justice System works against the victim: Like you, it has no feelings. The Justice System goes through the formality of allowing me to be here only to read our Victim Impact Statement then they allow YOU to use my statements against me. Is that Justice?
I know YOU will be discharged and YOU will do exactly as I stated: YOU will be that celebrity. But remember "It will only last a season." Then what are YOU going to do to get attention?
Karen Chaboyer
Victim Impact Statement - January 2008
I am the common-law widow of Leonard Charles (Chuck) Skwarok, and the mother of his daughter Amanda. I believe that convicted murderer, Yvonne Johnson, has neither in her own mind assumed any responsibility for her part in the murder of my ex-common law husband, nor come to a sincere understanding of the continued impact of this crime on my family. Until Yvonne comes to a realization of how she has adversely affected all our lives, she should not be allowed to re-enter the wider society. I also maintain that she represents a continued violent threat to our society and that she will harm again, just as surely as she has inflicted injury to my family on a continually daily basis.
I base this claim on the fact that we continually hear from readers who read "Stolen Life." An example of what we hear is: "I was a Simon Fraser University (BC) Criminology major, I am no longer at SFU but I want you to know that "Stolen Lives" is a required reading for the course "Minorities in the Criminal Justice System." It is a second year Criminology elective. I am at this moment confused, angry and unsure what I want to say to your family other than I was so sucked in by Yvonne's story that I urged everyone in my class to write to her in Prison! I am also sorry for your loss and apologize for not knowing the whole story."
We know that based on this student that there is a stable income from students having to buy this book as a required reading per semester. This is to stop! We cannot continue to live a stressful life defending our loved one while a convicted murderer is profiting off a crime while incarcerated.
How does one implement forgiveness when no one will admit the wrong she has done? Yvonne is being promoted through a book, through a song (Ballad of Yvonne Johnson), and soon a movie. How much more can one person inflict on my family and get away with it while imprisoned.
Yvonne claims to be a traditional individual: you utilize sweats and traditional ceremonies but thrive on attention from people, the media and keep the victim role in this plight. Why do you refuse to implement the seven teachings? They are love, courage, wisdom, truth, respect, bravery and humility. These are passed on from generation to generation. We were the most organized people because we lived by laws and there was no justification.
Yvonne, if you had any conscience you could change this situation. There are choices that you could change if you wanted to be sincere with us, but your actions are telling us there is no sincerity. The dishonor is as cruel as the rape and murder of Chuck.
Yvonne isn't just another lifer who has done her time: she has exploited her crime and will come out a powerful public personality. We do not trust the story she will tell. Her constant public presence dishonors us. It seems as though she would like to continue to destroy and murder not only Chuck but the ones that loved him.
It should be clear that my family and I have found no closure to Chuck's death. It has been noted and observed that families whose loved one has been murdered find it difficult to grieve. The anticipation of waiting for his movie keeps us from putting closure on this situation.
Yvonne what are your motives for day parole? Could it be to do this movie? What will it allow you to pursue? Are you going to conferences to speak of your healing journey? Will this allow you to be subject to media coverage? Will this not be a reward of your crime? Allowing her access to the media dissemination creates an unneeded reminder and dispels a glamorized perception of crime which indirectly enhances her perception of reality. There has been a great injustice in our realities because of the crime she committed and she needs to serve the full term without parole as we had no space to breath because of a published book.
Finally, I would like to say we live in a society where the offender has all the rights. Just take a look at this circle. Who has the sacred medicines, the eagle feather and the support? Why do her supporters voice an opinion while we only get to read our Victim Impact Statement? Is this justice? If it is, something is definitely wrong.
Yvonne you still have time to change your heart. If you don't one day you will have to face the Creator. Then our justice will be done!
I pray that the Parole Board will make the right decision in keeping you in prison until 2014.
Miigwetch!
Karen Chaboyer
Victim Impact Statement - September 2005
I am the common-law widow of Leonard Charles (Chuck) Skwarok, and the mother of his daughter Amanda. I believe that convicted murderer, Yvonne Johnson, has neither in her own mind assumed any responsibility for her part in the murder of my ex-common law husband, nor come to a sincere appreciation of the continued impact of this crime on my family. Until Yvonne comes to a realization of how she has adversely affected all our lives, she cannot be allowed to reenter the wider society; I also maintain that she represents a continued violent threat to our society, and that she will harm again, just as surely as she has inflicted injury to my family.
I base this claim on recent and direct contact with Yvonne. I had an encounter with Yvonne in March 2004 through the Safe Justice Encounters Program. At first we were impressed with Yvonne but then I was struck by Yvonne's self-interestedness. She remained seated when my family and I entered the room. She was well-groomed. She introduced herself in a very self-important way, and then went on to complain about how tedious it was for her to have to repeat her account of her murdering my ex-common law husband, Chuck. Despite the fact that she verbalized "I'm sorry", there was no evidence of her feeling any remorse for her crime and you will see why I think this. She went on about the circumstances leading to Chuck's murder. Yvonne was very blasé: "One thing led to another and we murdered him." She ended her testimony by saying she could understand why Amanda might hate her - even her own family including her daughter hated her. "My family has not talked to me for years. It is only today that they started talking to me." My family and I were then given the opportunity to talk of our lives, our love for Chuck - our ability to love him despite his failings -- and the lasting impact of his murder on our lives. The conversation expanded to include all the others present at the hearing, and we were able to exchange stories with Yvonne and her family of our shared culture, shared hardships, and shared justice experiences. We had a plan to make the second day a day of celebrating Chuck but Yvonne made an elaborate gesture of gift-giving on the second day of our meeting which changed the plans of our day. She then asked if we would attend her parole hearing. We were left with the strong impression that her only interest was merely to obtain our support for her parole application.
In retrospect, my family and I see that Yvonne had no understanding that Chuck, who to her was a town misfit and suspected pedophile, was actually someone very important to me, as my partner, the step-father of my children, and the father of my youngest daughter. It seemed to us that Yvonne's gift-giving did not make up for Chuck's life which was worth so much more than a few gifts and a few tears. It was all about Yvonne and her needs. There was a definite air of Yvonne manipulating us that second day.
My family and I returned home from the hearing confused and disappointed. We tried to ignore her arrogant disregard for Chuck and with time, the gifts she gave us became uncomfortable symbols, a poison in our lives. We had to dispense with these gifts after confiding with an Elder. None of us believe that Yvonne was sincere for her having killed Chuck. We believe that she still puts her own needs and her own interests above ours, and will continue to manipulate those around her for her own good.
Our feelings about Yvonne's callousness were confirmed in the matter of the book Stolen Life that she co-authored with novelist Rudy Wiebe. The book is promoted as Aboriginal literature, an insight into criminology and an account of rehabilitation from a victim of all kinds of abuse and misfortune and about Yvonne's transformation as a shining star, when in fact this book is about the vindication of Yvonne Johnson. To know the circumstances of Chuck's death is to know that Stolen Life is a justification of his murder.
We believe that as long as Stolen Life is in print justice eludes us. The very success of this book - winning literary awards and incorporated into university criminology courses -- is a violation of our family. Chuck was not only killed and raped brutally but now being judged falsely and maligned by his murderer, Yvonne which totally takes the eyes off of her crime. The book is full of untruths, yet because Chuck is dead, he will be forever defenseless and prone repeatedly to the misrepresentations of Yvonne and other like-minded people. Examples of other inaccuracies in Stolen Life include the false description of Chuck as a big white man, when in truth he was Metis, and of average build. Our family has Chuck's family tree that goes back five generations, and which shows that Chuck was Cree. The voice that Yvonne and Rudy Wiebe gave Chuck is the voice of someone else, not the Chuck I knew. I knew Chuck thoroughly, and even at his worst, he never used the sort of language given to him in Stolen Life. The picture Yvonne paints of him is that of a monster. It says that he hated children, when my children would tell a different story. The misrepresentations distress me to no end. And I want to add that the continued grief of my children for their father/step-father is a testament of his love and devotion.
Chuck was not perfect; we all know that. Chuck was a product of his environment. This is very difficult for me to confess, but in our culture because of the fragmentation of our family lives and racism in this country, we are experiencing an insidious moral decay where incest, rape, promiscuity are almost the norm. Yvonne's book does describe this well. Her life was like mine. I was abused by my family, raped, and even though I will always feel the hurt and the impact of that, I still love my family. It is possible for a Christian to love the sinner, but hate the sin. This dynamic is well documented by Yvonne. Her father, grandfather, and brother abused her, yet she loved them. Chuck had some of these tendencies but when this dysfunction is so prevalent, so horribly normal we cannot ostracize everyone who behaves this way. We would have to alienate half of our male and female population on reservations. There is no justification for killing someone for these behaviours, or because of a rumor of these behaviours. Yvonne has used the white justice system's disdain for sexual molesters to justify her act of murder, when she knows that in our culture, this behavior though always wrong, is not that uncommon. Yvonne has scapegoated sexual abusers to blame for her own guilt. To find honour in her perverted world, she has to dishonor a family who really is no different from hers. The dishonor in the book is as cruel and as wrong as the rape and murder of Chuck. Chuck has been demonized and dehumanized by Yvonne and Rudy Wiebe.
I find it frustrating to know that Yvonne has profited from this book, no matter the extent of its earnings. It is not the money or the amount that bothers my family and me; it is the profiting from a murder that we find highly offensive. If Yvonne earned as little as five dollars from the murder, I would still find it offensive. To be fair to Yvonne, she took up a suggestion of ours, namely to write an addendum to Stolen Life that would honor the memory of Chuck, and at the same time, correct some inaccuracies. But we could not write an addendum when we got home, because we realized that we needed a more thorough revision of the entire text of the book.
Not only is there a book, they are writing a play script to make a movie. Again this will traumatize my family. If she wanted to hurt anyone I would prefer it to be me not my daughter who has to live life on a day-to-day basis full of pain because of Yvonne.
There are ways other than violence to deal with victimization; we do not have to reflect violence onto others and perpetuate the cycle of violence. I came from a rough childhood, an alcoholic family, became an alcoholic myself, and I am also a survivor of native residential school and was sexually abused and raped. I had two abusive marriages, yet I did not choose a violent path of violent retribution. I chose to rehabilitate myself. To play the victim of society's ills as Yvonne has is no way to justify murder. Victimization is no excuse for murder.
The better way for survivors of the native residential school memories and of racism, is through the new ways to empower ourselves and heal. With the new programs, family group conferencing and healing circles, such as were practiced at Hollow Water, we are finding new ways to address the abuse in our communities and in our lives. In this context of programs and other initiatives for healing, I regret that Chuck did not live to complete his healing journey.
My family and I took the initiative to visit Yvonne in Edmonton, at considerable expense to ourselves. I think now we feel that in order for us to trust her intentions again and to really feel that she has been through a rehabilitation process, one that puts my deceased ex-partner Chuck into the central focus, Yvonne would need to come to us, and exonerate Chuck by relating the complete story of his life. Better yet, we would like the same support that Yvonne received to write our own story - the real story. If we were to write this story, I know that we would want to treat Yvonne and her family with respect by cooperating with them to tell their truth.
These are the current issues of unfinished justice that we think need to be addressed in considering whether Yvonne is ready to enjoy earlier access to parole at this early stage in her sentence. If she is allowed to reenter society, we know that she will become a celebrated public speaker. She isn't just another lifer who has done her time; she has exploited her crime and will come out a powerful public personality. We do not trust the story she will tell. Her constant public presence will dishonor us. It will be as if she can continue to destroy and to commit murder.
It should be clear then that my family and I have found no closure to Chuck's death. It has been noted and observed that families whose loved one has been murdered find it difficult to grieve. We had expected to find honor and closure at my ex-common law husband's passing but a trial, sentencing, and parole hearings cannot be about that. And we went to Yvonne sincerely hoping that her amends would help us find closure, but instead, she took advantage of the occasion to bring her family together and to try to win our support for early release.
Finally, I need to tell you about my grief. I always loved Chuck. I had just entered into a new belief system that condemned our common-in-law relationship, so Chuck and I separated because of this but remained friends. So you see Chuck's murder has left me feeling guilty. I am left with the strong conviction that if we had stayed together, then Chuck would be alive today. I think he did not understand why I had to change my ways and his grief was too much. I think he lost hope of ever having a good family again and became depressed. And it was because of his estrangement from me that he ended up in a circle that included the remorseless Yvonne Johnson.
While living with Chuck, I learned a lot of things. I was a person who because I had no role models, did not know how to interact with my children. I was a very strict and rigid parent who accepted no excuses or exceptions to my way. Chuck taught me new life skills. He taught me that there were choices; he taught me how to restore my furniture, how to redesign my home, how to fix things, and even how to fix my car. Chuck also loved cooking and taught me new recipes.
Chuck taught me how to look at life from a different perspective. I was a person who was serious and never took time to have fun with my children. We went on outings and he showed me how to get involved with my children's daily activities. He played with my children on a daily basis. He gave them quality time. He accepted them and they in turned accepted him.
I am angered to know how he died. I cannot bear to visualize his last hours. It must have been horrific. He was outnumbered. Although he did come close to escaping, he really didn't have a chance. He was doomed. In his last moment, he was dishonored by being judged a pedophile and raped with a table leg.
It angers me when I think of the family milestones that Chuck has missed. I walked my oldest daughter down the aisle when she was married. If Chuck had lived, it would have been him who walked her down the aisle. His own biological daughter is now 21; he has missed 16 of her birthdays. She has grown into a beautiful woman and he would have loved to share it with me. He would have walked her down the aisle when she gets married. Chuck has missed out on the births of the six grandchildren that I now have. They would have loved him because he knew how to win children's affection. He would be proud to see his daughter and our step-children mature into responsible adults.
Most of all I get angry when I hear my daughter Amanda say, "Yvonne has won. She killed my dad; she wrote the book; a movie is coming out; she has a voice and she is getting parole. She won." Because of Yvonne's opportunities to publicly rewrite the story of my ex-common law husband's murder, and the fame that she now has earned, Amanda has no faith in the justice system and I do not blame her because justice has not been done to us. We cannot 'let go' of Chuck's murder until we experience justice. This will only come when Yvonne puts her murdering of Leonard Charles Skwarok into the foreground, learns to regret his loss of life, and ceases to exploit this tragedy for her own profiting.
Please consider my position and deliberate carefully as you make your decision.
Thank You.
Karen Chaboyer
