And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (S.I.S.I.S.) writes: JUDGE RESERVES DECISION ON SHOOTING DEATH Canadian Press, June 8, 1999, by Nanda Tieri [S.I.S.I.S. note: The following mainstream news article may contain biased or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context. It is provided for reference only.] TORONTO (CP) - A judge will decide Wednesday whether lawyers for Ontario Premier Mike Harris can hold off on the delivery of documents related to the shooting death of a native protester in 1995. Justice Gloria Epstein reserved her decision after hearing the lawyers' request Tuesday in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by George's family. Defence lawyer Dennis Brown said if the stay is not granted, the allegations could cause "irreparable harm" to the premier's image and to the public interest. George was shot and killed by acting Sgt. Kenneth Deane on Sept. 6, 1995, when police confronted natives protesting the alleged desecration of their ancestors' burial grounds at the Ipperwash park on Lake Huron. Harris has denied any involvement in the death. George's family believes police were acting under order from Harris and other senior government ministers. The family has been pressuring the premier to comply with disclosure rules and file an affidavit of any documents relating to orders his government gave police. Brown argued for a hold on the release of documents at least until June 15, when the court will be asked to remove Harris, Solicitor-General Bob Runciman and Attorney- General Charles Harnick from the lawsuit. "It's not just for Mr. Harris it is for the office that he holds," said Brown about the request. But the judge asked why the premier should be treated differently than the anyone else named in a lawsuit. "We have to apply the laws equally," said the judge, who noted that Harris' resistance could also be deemed to be harmful to his image. Just prior to last Thursday's election that re-elected Harris for his second term as premier, Harris told reporters that he thought his lawyers were co-operating and providing all the documents necessary. "I see a very large contradiction between what Mr. Harris has said in public and what his lawyers are doing in court," Murray Klippenstein, one of the Georges' family lawyers, said in an interview Tuesday. Klippenstein has said the affidavit of documents, originally due in November of 1998, should have been handed over no later than March 3, 1999. He said a stay in the short term would be a minor setback, but a lengthy stay could delay the case for years. "I think, regardless, the George family will continue their fight," he said. Since the shooting, George's family have demanded a public inquiry in light of documents that suggested Harris had directed police to use force in removing the protesters from the park. Acting-Sgt. Kenneth Deane was convicted of criminal negligence causing death in the shooting but is appealing. The Ontario government has said repeatedly that no inquiry would be contemplated while aspects of the case are still before the courts. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: More information on Aazhoodena (aka Ipperwash): http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/Ipperwash/arch01.html In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2 EMAIL : <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> WWW: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/SISmain.html SOVERNET-L is a news-only listserv concerned with indigenous sovereigntist struggles around the world. To subscribe, send "subscribe sovernet-l" in the body of an email message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For more information on sovernet-l, contact S.I.S.I.S. :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
