IT’S really beginning to
bug me the way criminal
defence lawyers are
using the media to try
to manipulate the cases
against their clients
before the police investi-
gations are even com-
plete

Remember David Gibbons
blustering about the RCMI"s
“invasion” of erstwhile
Premier Glen Clark’s home in
the “middle of the night?”

How Gibbons kept a
straight face while spouting,
that nonsense truly attests to
his rare acting talent.

Presumably, the logic in
fabricating and exaggerating to
the media has something to de
with putting pressure on the
police to deflect their focus on
the task at hand. Or perhaps
they believe they can somehow
stall or stop the process entire-
ly.

What also rankles is the
willingness of much of the
mainstream media to regurgi-
tate the nonsense as though it
actually bore some resem-
blance to reality.

Take the case dominating,
the headlines in the past week
of the women under investiga-
tion because her 18-month-
old baby fell from the
Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Miraculously, the baby suz-
vived the 50-metre fal, bur
that doesn’t change the
Mounties’ need to determine
what happened.

The woman's lawyer
grabbed headlines last week

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crime and
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when, during an impromptr
press conference, he accused
the RCMP of all manner of
despicable acts. He actually
used the word “torture” in his
bizarre verbal barrage.

As T write this, RCMP
brass have net responded to
the allegations except to say
the investization is ongoing.
And why nov Certainly not
because the allegations are
truc. In general terms, the
police of this country are not
in the ousiness of torture.

But realistically, the inter-
viewing of any suspect — and
clearly that is what this woman
is — is done with audio and
video recorders rolling
throughout, Without the
audio/video backup, defence
counsel and an acquiescent
judiciary in this country have
made it virtually impossible to
get a statement by an accused
admitted as evidence in court.

There can be no “torture”
at any point in the interview
process, There are video can-
eras in virtually every area of
the police stadon any suspect
is in. Not to mention the
audio/video recording of the
entire interview process. This
protects suspects from any
abuses by the police, but it

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also protects the police from
the far more common mali-
cious accusations of assault and
abuse leveled by the criminal
element and their chosen legal
representatives.

To ensure Twas accurate in
this analysis of the comments
made by the woman's lawyer,
I spoke to some police officers
close to the investigation. Phe
reality of the situation is much
different from what the lawyer
would have the public believe.

First off, Pi not making a
determination of this woman's
guilt or innocence, but rather
taking a cold look at some of
the facts in the face of the wild
allegations made by her lawyer.

The photographs published
last week, taken before and
right after whatever happened,
show the woman pecking over
the rail of the suspension

. bridge her arms free of the

burden of the infant pictured
in them seconds carlier.

Now, cops are parents too
and can look at things from
that point of view. [fit were
your child this had happened
to, would you be peeking over
the railing of, more likely,
would you be screaming a
Wlue streak in absolute panic?

Would you have walked to
the end of the bridge and
called your estranged husband,
the father of the child, before
calling 9-1-1) Is it any wonder
the police view the woman as a
Suspect, NOt a Witness?

Additionally, there is some

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Lawyer’s allegations alarming

reason to believe the woman
was offering the child up tor
adoption via the Internet prior
to the incident at the saspen-
sion bridge. That's why the
Mounties seized a computer in
the execution of the search
warrant at her residence.

They are trying to gather
sufficient evidence to deter-
mine whether a crime has been
committed. That's their ioh
and their inherent responsibili-
ty. Part of that job involves the
interviewing Of suspects.

During the interview
process, the woman never
once asked about the child.
Not once. She only com-
plained about a scratch on her
arm. ‘The same scratch the
police officer conducting the
interview, the so-called tortur-
er, cleaned with antiseptic,
gently blew on and put a
Band-Aid on. Some torture!

The lawyer can say whatev-
er he wants. But, frankly, his
allegations in this case are
inflammatory in the extreme.

The police are held to
account for their every action,
Why then should detence
lawyers be allowed to spout
their fantasy allegations and
the police are required to turn
the other check.

The police must be allowed
to do their job. The RCMP
hierarchy must also speak out
and defend their officers when
the situation merits. ‘To stand
mute only adds credibility
where there should be none.

— lknight@direct.ca

From The Ins

Wednesday, September 29,

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