Spacing has never been a magazine that discusses the merits of any particular person’s appearance, but today we’ll make that exception. The Toronto Star is reporting that the free-on-bail-accused-bike-thief Igor Kenk has cleaned up his appearance.
At today’s court hearing:
A newly dapper Igor Kenk walked unnoticed through a clutch of reporters this morning as he made his way to a court appearance on theft and drug charges at Old City Hall.
The lanky and clean-shaven Kenk, his hair shorn and dyed dark brown, was wearing a navy Polo sweater and grey trousers as he walked into the courtroom and sat in the last row, waiting for his name to be called. Kenk, 49, was arrested last month and charged with 58 offences related to bike theft and narcotics.
Last week, Justice Bruce Young granted bail to the bearded, longhaired bicycle shop owner, ordering him to live with a surety under house arrest. Kenk’s bail was set at $250,000 for provincial charges related to bike theft, $10,000 for the federal charges including 21 drug offences, and $15,000 surety bail to be split collectively by three supporters.
…
Evidence presented at today’s hearing is subject to a publication ban.
I don’t know why people suddenly change their appearance when they have their day in court. If any jury or judge was swayed by someone’s clothes and hair style, then they are not fit to be in that position. And I don’t think this will have any effect on Kenk’s case, but he certainly looks like he belongs in Sears catalogue now.
photo from Toronto Star
29 comments
I like how papers love to often describe people appearing in court. It shows just how much we perceive legal proceedings to be more about drama and display rather than the letter of the law. Who really cares about fashion in this kind of context otherwise, anyway?
I think he looks about 23% less guilty with his new haircut.
“If any jury or judge was swayed by someone’s clothes and hair style, then they are not fit to be in that position.”
how can you be so naive?
Your dress is considered by some as a sign of respect for the court.
I’m certainly surprised that Matthew Blackett wrote this in his column about Igor Kenk’s change of appearance: “If any jury or judge was swayed by someone’s clothes and hair style, then they are not fit to be in that position.”
We’re all influenced by the appearance of others. Blacket himself was influenced enough to write this column! Judges and jurors are no different than the rest of us. Mr Kenk, without question, can now be expected to be treated with more respect.
I agree with the naive comment. People judge other people based on appearance all the time. The way you look and dress has a big impact on how people perceive and ultimately treat you.
To respond to mkm and George: Do you believe in the term “justice is blind”?
if how he dresses influences the decision on his guilt or innocence than those people are certainly unfit to make those decisions. If he cleans up that doesn’t change the facts of the case. That’s not being naive — its about the facts.
I understand dress and appearance are used how we perceive people, but that shouldn’t have ANY effect in a court of law. That’s my point, which I think a few people are missing.
Igor Kenk has to undergo substance abuse counselling among other things and perhaps this is the first visible sign of a change of person.
Maybe he realises that his life has to change and rejoining the mainstream of society is a good way to start. Staying sober and keeping away from drugs combined with a shift of appearance all work to help shuck off the mind-set of his previous lifestyle.
Perhaps he’s going to go legit. I’d not be surprised that he’s a smart businessman.
the point is well and good, but it is still naive to think that judges and jurors aren’t affected subconsciously by such things.
if how he dresses influences the decision on his guilt or innocence than those people are certainly unfit to make those decisions
Then no one is fit to make decisions, because we all make judgments about people based on their appearances. We may want to not do so, we may strive to avoid doing so with every fibre of our being, but we are not capable of it.
Does it ever form the principal part of a judge’s reasoning? No, of course not, at least no judge I’ve ever appeared before. But it matters – it all matters.
when you are interviewed to be part of a jury they ask you questions like, “are you influenced by a person’s appearance?” Anyone who wants to avoid jury duty knows that you say yes.
Calling Matt naive is silly. He’s making a point that justice should be blind. Going to court is not a job interview, and your guilt or innocence has nothing to do with your clothing or if you shaved. Courts deal with facts, or should, and any attempt to “clean up” is as transparent as one can ever be. Anyone that has ever met Igor knows he dressed like a slob for the last decade.
Biases based on appearance are generally unconscious and, in contexts like orchestral auditions, have been proven experimentally.
I’ll gladly remove the phrase “unfit to to make those decisions”, but I stand by my reasoning that it should have zero influence on a judge or jury.
I’m pretty sure that him leaving jail with a body guard gives you an idea of the level of intimidation he feels or perceived hate that he must be expecting. Maybe it’s not for court but for survival in public!!
matt: to clarify my earlier comment, i think it is naive to believe that justice is blind. visit a courtroom or spend time on canlii.org to see for yourself.
similarly, it seems naive to think that most criminal cases go to trial, or that most criminal trials have a jury. legal disputes are resolved in many different ways.
He changed his appearance because he doesn’t want to be noticed on the street.
I see a new reality show – “criminally-accused makeover”. Or how about “Queer eye for the accused guy”.
That’s really quite a transformation.
funny, my first thought when I saw the photo was that he changed his appearance in order to be less recognizable by the angry masses. I would never have recognized him. As he left the building when he posted bail, he was quoted as saying he was a ‘dead man’…
Second thought: of course his lawyer advised him to clean up for his next court date. This is pretty routine proceedure and no matter how impartial a judge or jury should be, human nature being what it is, people will be influenced. If it’s only by a hair, don’t think that doesn’t count.
Ever notice the color combinations worn by defendants in court? That’s because there is a whole color psychology involved – colors provoke emotion. Certain colors convey trust, goodness and innocence. Judges are usually conservative – looking like a crazy person will not help your case.
That said, let’s hope the facts come out and justice is served.
Irregardless of subconscious perception based on clothing there is also the issue of respect for the courtroom setting.
You’re -expected- to dress nicely, bathe yourself and refrain from your usual mohawk or hat. Show up in an old t-shirt and jeans you found in the back of the closet and that tells the court that you’re not taking the situation very seriously and in extreme situations you could even be held in contempt.
It is doubtful that Igor’s change in appearance will end up letting him off the hook, but it will certainly help him when it comes to sentencing. Like one person said above, his cleaning up could be representative of his desire to straighten up his act.
In Classical Greece they had a system in the court where the defendant would, on top of their defense suggest to the court what their sentence would be. The court would then use that recommendation as a way of judging how serious the defendant views the charges and whether they feel any sort of remorse for their alleged actions.
When Socrates was charged with impiety and corrupting the youth, he told the court that his punishment should be similar to the honour given to Olympic Games winners and instead of imprisonment should be treated to luxurious free meals.
His arrogance is thought to be the major reason behind why the jury voted in favour of the prosecutions suggestion of the death penalty. The facts in the case didn’t change, only the attitude from the defendant.
He now looks like that jewel thief, Svend Robinson.
I certainly agree with Matthew now that he’s changed his statement to:
” …it SHOULD have zero influence on a judge or jury.”
I understand dress and appearance are used how we perceive people, but that shouldn’t have ANY effect in a court of law. That’s my point, which I think a few people are missing.
This assumes a mechanistic model of adjudication, which is wrong. Penalties and sentencing are very much about rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is about attitude. Carriage is one of the ways we communicate attitude.
The one time I had to appear in court, pretty much everybody else in the waiting area was a drunk, unshaven slob.
Then when I appeared before the judge, he actually thanked me for wearing a suit and tie.
It goes a long way.
Serge’s comment was right on.
And who knew Kenk is such a hottie!
“Should” and “won’t” are two separate things. Hoping will not cause the former to become the latter.
hmm, yup, big issue that style vs. content.
Or is that malcontent?
When you go to court, it’s not about whether or not you shot the Arab, it’s about whether or not you cried at your mother’s funeral.
I am heartened to see men’s appearance being mentioned in newspapers. Too often, only women’s appearance is brought up, forcing the burden of perfection onto women, and this imbalance has to be rectified some way.
“When you go to court, it’s not about whether or not you shot the Arab, it’s about whether or not you cried at your mother’s funeral.”
FUCKING WIN. This (wo)man understands the world.
Are you a defense lawyer? You should be.