A West Vancouver man who stabbed a friend to death outside the Hollyburn Country Club five years ago will return to law school at the University of British Columbia this fall while out on day parole.
Sasan Ansari, 32, was convicted in November 2008 of manslaughter in the killing of Josh Goos, who was stabbed 33 times outside the upscale club.
Ansari served two years in jail before he was let out on day parole in January of this year.
This month, the National Parole Board decided to extend Ansari's parole by another six months, noting he has been "accepted back to law school and will resume classes in September 2011."
Ansari completed his second year of law school between the time that he was charged with Goos' murder in May 2006 and the time of his trial in 2008.
But members of Goos' family say they're astounded UBC has agreed to let Ansari continue with his legal studies.
"It is disturbing," said Diane Goos, Josh's mother. She said many people she's talked to are shocked with the decision.
"He should still be in prison as far as I'm concerned."
Josh's father Ron Goos said it's not the first time the law faculty's decisions have appalled the family.
In February 2009, the family received a letter from a scholarship donor, Govin Roopra, who said he had been "staggered" to discover Ansari had been awarded his $1,000 scholarship - while awaiting trial for the killing.
Goos said the university has continued to be insensitive to the "wider social implications" of its decisions.
"I just can't believe they live in such a distorted world," he said.
Mary Anne Bobinski, Dean of UBC's Faculty of Law, said in a statement that the university "generally does not investigate
or assess its students' personal lives and has no legal basis on which to prevent students with criminal records from attending UBC Law."
Attending law school does not mean that Ansari will necessarily become a practicing lawyer.
Lesley Pritchard, spokeswoman for the B.C. Law Society, said before lawyers are called to the bar, they must satisfy requirements about "fitness and good character," which can include answering questions about a criminal record or questionable conduct.
She said any case that involved a serious criminal conviction would be considered very carefully.
According to the parole board decision to extend day parole, Ansari presents a "low risk or low-moderate risk for future violence" and is employed, working 12 to 16 hours a day.
The board did not give any details of that employment, although earlier decisions made note that Ansari had been offered a job at a law firm.
The board did note Ansari exhibits some attitude problems, noting case managers pointed to "a victim stance, a sense of entitlement and anti-authority attitude" - an assessment disputed by Ansari.
The report noted Ansari also does not like to be criticized and can present "as argumentative and challenging at times."
Under the terms of his parole, Ansari is to live at a halfway house, is banned from taking drugs and must continue to get counselling.
He must also keep parole officers informed of any financial dealings and has been ordered to stay away from two people whom corrections officers consider bad influences.
The names of those people have not been made public by the board.
Ansari's brother, Soroush Ansari - who was a character witness at Sasan Ansari's trial - was also released from prison on $250,000 bail in January after two years behind bars.
Soroush Ansari, an alleged associate of the UN gang, is charged with counselling another alleged gang member, Barzan Tilli-Choli, to shoot at someone with an intent to endanger that person's life on Jan. 24, 2009. The drive-by shooting is thought to be part of a gang turf war between the UN and the rival Red Scorpions.
Calls to Ansari's lawyers were not returned by press time.
