My lawyer was the star of the show. Harold Doherty < Iron Horse > hit the Saint John Police Officers from all angles.
They didn't know what to expect?
The law states that I had to represent myself in court.
If the Iron Horse would have not step forward to help me?
I would have been found guilty and ended in Jail.
Our legal Aid system must change!!!
I wonder how many citizens are in jail as we speak because they didn't have the right to a lawyer?
How many Ashley Smith cases are there in jail???
Yes, I would have ended up in jail for many years.
One more thing? It was also one year ago today that the Irvings quickly left the court room once they realized the cop was lying on the stand.
If I would have been found guilty?
The Irvings would have made certain that the guilty verdict would have been on the front page!!!
I can see the headline now =
IDIOT BLOGGER FOUND GUILTY!!!!
This is very scary stuff!!!!
Here's the story from the CBC!!!
LeBlanc said he was blogger, policeman testifies
Last Updated: Monday, November 20, 2006 | 5:39 PM AT
CBC News
A Saint John police officer who pinned Charles LeBlanc to the ground during a protest in the summer testified Monday that the well-known blogger identified himself as an internet journalist before his arrest.
The case has drawn attention in journalism circles across the country at a time when bloggers have begun to gain some recognition as legitimate journalists. LeBlanc, who watched as police temporarily confiscated his camera and deleted a photo, is arguing that freedom of the press should extend to all journalists, not just those working for big media companies.
LeBlanc, who writes about politics and poverty on his website, was arrested at a demonstration outside a business conference at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre. He was charged with obstruction of justice.
As the trial resumed in Saint John on Monday, Sgt. John Parks told the court he arrested LeBlanc as approximately 30 to 40 protesters dressed in black, and some wearing masks, attempted to storm the convention centre.
Parks told the court he noticed LeBlanc coming at him from behind with a camera and, since he appeared scruffy and wasn't wearing business clothes like the other members of the media, assumed LeBlanc was part of the protest.
The officer said he warned LeBlanc to leave the scene or else he would be arrested. LeBlanc answered that he was with the media covering the event and was a blogger, Parks testified.
As LeBlanc was arrested, he was knocked to the ground by Parks and Const. Tanya Lawlor. Parks testified that he then retrieved LeBlanc's digital camera and deleted a photo of himself.
Lawlor testified that she helped Parks arrest LeBlanc. She said the protester was not listening to police and resisting their efforts.
After the incident, Lawlor said she looked up LeBlanc's blog on the internet, and found pictures of herself brandishing a baton to ward off protesters, set to the song Kung Fu Fighting.
She said it made her feel humiliated and demoralized.
The trial was to continue on Tuesday.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2006/11/20/nb-bloggertrial.html
18 comments:
It's a good thing you weren't Tazered considering they held you to the ground.
What was the reason given to you for not having the right to a lawyer?
Your not to familiar with the law are you ?
The reason is in this blog
http://oldmaison.blogspot.com/2007/11/ashley-smith-was-her-death-cause-by-new.html
Let's get some facts straight. I did a little reading:
"The law states that I had to represent myself in court."
The law doesn't state that you had to represent yourself in court. You can have a lawyer represent you but the Legal Aid program does not pay for a lawyer. If you cannot find a lawyer, you will have to represent yourself.
" I would have ended up in jail for many years."
On a first offense, you probably wouldn't have had a jail sentence and even less "many years in prison" as you say.
Being in a free country doesn't mean that everything is for free. We have to work to pay our way, unless you're on social assistance. Then you don't pay, others pay.
What a great country. (a little of sarcasism)
Anonymous 10:06:
What law are you talking about - the one on the books, where we're supposed to be seen equally?
Or the law on the street, where pissed off pigs get to slam people into the ground whenever they feel like it?
Humans > Corporations
ybee never knows what he talking about,he always joking but not good at jokes.
While were talking stereotypes how about where every time some lazy bum gets caught breaking the law they start whining about how they were abused by the system and are just being picked on.
They say Ignorance of the Law is no Excuse but it is and We are Purposley kept Ignorant By The Legal System and the Bar! How about Teaching Law in School the same way Math and Science is taught?? wouldnt want that now would we? wouldnt be so easy for the Police and Gov,Corporations to Fleece the People out of Thier Freedoms and Money? I have watched many many Trials and Watched Police commit Perjury Countless number of times and have never once seen a Officer Charged with Perjury even when Caught in a lie on the Stand! But then Who are the ones who carry out Governments Dirty (Deeds) Laws? THE POLICE!
Crime is down yet Police Numbers are up? The Laws are so numerous Today that even a Saint walking a straight and narrow path following the 10 Commandments would Break some sort of Law,Act almost daily!
The Gov wants your Money but most of all They are wanting control over You and they will use every trick ,statute,act,law on the books to deprive You of Your Rights! And in Charles case,if its not there they can easily Manufacture a Situation to fit especially a person who dosent fit thier mold!
We are not Free and We have let Ourselves be Blinded and have sunken to the tip of a Sugar coated Police State if We are not already there?
Just Passing,those lazy Whining Bums were usually created by the System which was created by the Government so they could create Social workers and more Police to take care of thier system and so on,like a Tornado out of control, But Who is giving the Tornado its Power(Probably YOU)?
Anonymous 5h32:
Instead of simply saying that someone doesn't know what he's talking about, bring some information to let us know what you think is the facts (we call that an argument).
P.S. Looking at your typo, I can understand why you could have a problem understanding others comments. Have a nice day and don't hesitate to use verbs in your sentences.
why bee dosent understand,thats why we have innocent people in jail because there shouldnt have been a trial to begin with as the police knew he was innocent and knew who he was and that he was coming but still pressed the issue! The Police officers who were involved need to be charged and lose thier jobs as they are a threat to society!
this is some of the large profile cases but why did these happen? probably in the same ways as charles case?
Robert Baltovich
Michael Burns
Sebastian Burns
Rodney Cain
Wilbert Coffin (hanged, 1953)
Jason Dix
Jim Driskell
Jody Druken
Randy Druken
Hugues Duguay
Michel Dumont
Peter Frumusa
Walter Gillespie and Robert Mailman
Clayton Johnson
Yvonne Johnson
Herman Kaglik
Darren Koehn
Kulaveeringsam "Kulam" Karthiresu
Stephen Leadbeater
Donald Marshall
Chris McCullough
Michael McTaggart
Felix Michaud new brunswick
David Milgaard
Guy Paul Morin
Shannon Murrin
Jamie Nelson
Greg Parsons
Benoit Proulx
Atif Rafay
Louise Reynolds
Thomas Sophonow
Gary Staples
Billy Taillefer
Steven Truscott
Joe Warren
Leon Walchuk
Imagine how many more sit in jail waiting for a glimpse of hope or maybe a lawyer who is willing to take on a case without pay?
In order to himprove my edumncation,ysee,could we start with the definition of sarcasism.
Or do you need help installing the ispell program?
If you didn't notice, I didn't comment on the arrest of Charles by the St John Police. I just discussed the legal part once in court. Don't make me say things I didn't say.
Anonymous 2:13, there are many things that people are ignorant of until they are required to deal with them. Suggesting we all need to be lawyers out of high school is a foolish and unrealistic suggestion. You are are absolutely wrong in suggesting that "those lazy Whining Bums were usually created by the System which was created by the Government" and you should know better. The reality is that while there are times when bad things happen to good people more often than not we are all the authors of of your own misfortune. Stop trying to blame everything that happens to people on everyone else.
We need to know the Law and to have a good understanding of it especially in Todays World because things happen fast when trying to walk the hair between the system and when dealing with a rotten cop bent on some kind of twisted sense of right and wrong! Thats whats done to thier Minds at Police Academy,Free labotamies they only get thier minds back some 20+ years later by that time thier only worried about a pension!
Problem is that people dont have fair access to the legal system depending on our status or size of wallet and its done on purpose to force the poor not to fight the system and just suck it up regardless of guilt or innocence!
Judges that steal Millions get to Walk free after a few Months (because they know the Law) and some mixed up Joe or jane gets a year for arguing with a Guard or worse gets murdered by the system because they dont know or understand whats happening!
Just Passing, If it makes You feel better I will just blame You for all of our daily problems as you seem to slingshot every answer off on to somebody else anyhow?
(Ignorant of things until we need them )Were not fixing a leaky faucet or trying to mend a pair of socks the law crosses our path everytime we step out of our homes onto the street and sometimes even less and unlike a leaky pipe or a hole in a sock ,mistakes with the law could cost us our life and or freedom and we have every right to be able to use it to our advantage so it cannot hurt but only help !
Look another cop abusing his position! and this is just over asking a question! They do know who to pick on dont they ! Trained Dogs thats what they are ! They deserve every rotten thing that comes thier way!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMaMYL_shxc
"You are are absolutely wrong in suggesting that "those lazy Whining Bums were usually created by the System which was created by the Government" and you should know better."
Oh - let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Feel free to keep blaming the system for awhile longer - we'd like a few more years of profit before we totally pack up for Bermuda.
Then you can blame it on us.
Well anonymous 8:49 you might as well blame me, you blame everyone else. (you do know that blaming others really isn't an answer doen't you?)..I suppose it makes you feel better about youself and thats nice. I do realize my answers are a lot less long winded than yours but not being selfrightious does have its advantage..it save me a lot more keyboard time.
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