Sunday, January 18, 2009

 

Basi-Virk Trial: A Citizen Journalist reports on what the media isn't telling us ...

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A comment left at Bill Tieleman's blog today:


Anonymous Anonymous said...

On Wednesday January 14th, Justice Bennett appeared in Victoria
to issue her oral ruling on the issue of litigation privilege being
claimed by the RCMP.


In her lengthy decision, she did not support the RCMP claims of
litigation privilege. Rather, she determined that the litigation
privilege claim is limited and she decided on a case by case basis
what documents should be disclosed immediately to the defence.

Some documents were "highly relevant" or that some documents were
not relevant. A number of documents where Justice Bennett determined
that litigation privilege still may be applicable will be the subject
of next week's hearing in Vancouver. Those documents contain
information that the defence feels are important to highlight the
conduct of the RCMP.

Of the 300 or so documents that Justice Bennett reviewed, the
documents that she determined were highly relevant are documents that
caused a stir in the Victoria courtroom.

For example, Document #727 is an email chain that involves
Superintendent Dick Bent, Sgt. Gately and Cpl. Robinson. It was sent
to Martha Devlin (DOJ Prosecutor) and the judge stated that it
invovles RCMP misconduct.

As I sat in the rear of the courtroom, a number of people
attended. Both Basi, and Virk were there along with a group of
students in the gallery, and about 8 people in attendence.

This was another judgement that went against the Special
Prosecutor.

After the decision, Janet Winteringham and her junior, rushed off
without answering questions. The defence lawyers stated that the
decision spoke for itself.

Both Basi and Virk did not speak with me. Although they were
speaking with a number of people in the gallery.

After refusing to disclose documents that Justice Bennett
determined are relevant, why do the Special Prosecutor and the RCMP
continue to delay this case?

I urge you to read the Judges rulings in this case. Despite the
ever increasing number of legal privileges that are being raised in
this case to block basic disclosure, the defence continues to overcome
those legal hurdles.

It is clearly time for Bill Berardino's legal team and from the
RCMP to raise the anchor that is weighing this case down.

If the RCMP and Special Prosecutor do not change direction, this
case will collapse under its own weight.

VICTORIA COURTROOM 401 -
JANUARY 12, 2009 9:00AM - 10:45AM.

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Special thanks to an excellent Citizen Journalist for this steady eye-witness report, and to Bill Tieleman for generous permission to reprint this comment from his blog. I'm baffled as to what Judge Bennett was doing in Victoria, but am grateful for the solid information we did receive. Our paid, privileged, perverse media has come off looking shabby this past week in Victoria, and that should worry us all. This Legislature-raid case is taking far too long. - BC Mary

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