NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 29/93
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
JUDGE JAILS GRANNY; REFUSES VIDEO DEFENSE
Betty Krawczyk found herself unexpectedly back behind bars yesterday after
the judge hearing her Clayoquot defense refused to specify whether she was
being tried under the civil or criminal code. The distinction is crucial in
determining which witnesses can be called by defendants making a final plea
to influence their sentencing. With her interrupted defense in shambles, the
65 year-old grandmother stood up and shouted, "This is outrageous. I want
justice in this court!" Judge Bouck immediately ordered her back to jail.
Along with 72 year-old Judith Robinson, Krawczyk has already been imprisoned
85 days without being convicted of any crime. The BC injustice system next
steamrollered Dan Maher. The Crown had promised the Kennedy bridge blockader
that he would be allowed to show unedited video tape of his "good behavior"
on the morning of his arrest. But when Maher attempted to introduce that
taped evidence in court, the Crown double-crossed him by objecting
vociferously. The judge who had allowed Crown prosecutors to enter carefully
edited video of Maher 's blockade actions upheld their objection, denying
Maher's use of the tape's full context to refute this distorted picture.
"Whenever truth is spoken, the judge closes the court," Friends of Clayoquot
Sound director Jan Bate said outside the courtroom today. "It's impossible
to get a fair trial because large groups of defendants wear the judge down,
making him impatient and unable to make good decisions." With sentencing
imminent for the first 52 people arrested while defending Clayoquot Sound,
the court docket continues to swell. Two Hornby and Lasqueti Island mothers
were arrested this morning with "babes in arms," as 85 supporters stood in
silent protest.
For more information call Will Thomas 725-4218