Thirty-five years later, John Harvey Miller is finally starting to take some responsibility for a long streak of crimes which ended up with him shooting a police officer for vengeance.

Miller, a Langley resident, shot and killed Surrey RCMP Const. Roger Pierlet in Cloverdale in 1974. He did so because he was angry at the police. His brother had died after a high-speed chase involving Langley RCMP four days earlier.

Miller was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang. At that time, Canada still had the death penalty for people convicted of murdering police officers and prison guards. His sentence was later commuted to life, after Canada abolished the death penalty.

He has been far from a model prisoner in the intervening years. Records show that he racked up 34 institutional charges in his years in prison. He is now on parole, on two conditions — that he not be alone with anyone under 16, and that he stay away from alcohol.

In cases now before the court, Miller has pleaded guilty to several charges of indecent assault, in 1963, 1964 and 1971. As Miller is now 63, that means he was 17 when the first offence was committed. His record is one of a young man who recklessly took advantage of others, took no responsibility for his actions and capped off his lawlessness by shooting a 23-year-old police officer who was simply doing his job.

Undoubtedly, there are many people in Langley who still remember John Harvey Miller, even though it’s been 35 years since he lived among us. They likely remember some of his lawless acts. Some may even be his victims.

It’s good that this man, who has suffered a stroke and is in poor health, is taking responsibility for his actions — albeit at a very late date. Better late than never.

Hopefully, his guilty pleas will allow his victims to get on with their lives and perhaps even try to move forwards. That may be hard to do, given the length of time that has elapsed and the pain that is caused by any type of assault and violence.

Miller’s re-emergence in court may cause some people to wonder what would have happened had he been put to death, as was the original intent of the court. One thing that likely wouldn’t have happened is his taking responsibility for these long-ago crimes.

—Frank Bucholtz