Rough & Messy Justice vividly portrays the Rocky Mountains' Crowsnest Pass of 1920, a rugged region shaped by its mining economy and diverse culture. Against this dramatic backdrop, an armed CPR train robbery leads to a deadly shootout at the Bellevue Café between police officers and two Russian bandits recently arrived from Montana's mines. The story follows the thrilling manhunt for the escaped bandit and delves into a flawed trial rife with overt racism in the press, law enforcement cover-ups, and a biased judge and jury. Missteps by a lackluster defence counsel and confused witnesses result in the tragic hanging of an innocent man. This gripping true crime account not only recounts the robbery and trial but critically examines social and racial prejudice, systemic corruption, and the failures of Canada's early justice system. By exposing these injustices,
Rough & Messy Justice challenges traditional assumptions about fairness and equality under the law, offering an edge-of-your-seat exploration of historical crime and consequence.