Calgary Herald http://www.southam.com/calgaryherald/newsnow/cpfs/national/000503/n050392.html Shouting match erupts as police accused of dumping aboriginal man appear in court SASKATOON (CP) - Angry spectators got into a shouting match about racism Wednesday outside the court where two city police officers made an appearance on charges of dumping an aboriginal man outside the city on a frigid winter night. Constables Dan Hatchen and Ken Munson, charged with unlawful confinement and assault, both elected to be tried by judge and jury. Munson's two-day preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 11, while Hatchen's was scheduled for Oct. 2. Both men have been suspended from their jobs. Darrell Night, 33, says police took him into custody at about 4 a.m. on Jan. 28, drove him to a remote area and told him to find his own way back. He accuses them of shouting racist remarks and throwing him out of their cruiser. Night says he managed to walk to a power plant in the freezing cold, where a worker helped him call a taxi. Outside court on Wednesday, members of a group known as the Grandmothers Vigil for Justice held a candlelight protest. Cheryl Soucy, a friend of the two policemen, lambasted the throng of reporters outside the courthouse, saying media coverage has been biased and overblown. Marji Pratt-Turo, a member of the protest group, then interrupted Soucy to ask about the rights of aboriginals. Soucy responded angrily that aboriginals gave up their rights 100 years ago. Their discussion turned into a shouting match about racism, captured by TV cameras and broadcast throughout the day. "How much beer do you drink and how much bingo do you play?" Soucy yelled at Pratt-Turo. Pratt-Turo responded by calling Soucy a racist. "Yeah, I have a certain amount of racism because I've dealt with Indians," she replied. Pratt-Turo said she helped organize the vigil because she wanted to see what happens to Hatchen and Munson, and to monitor how the court deals with them. "I'm outraged and I'm here because I want my grandson to be able to walk a safe street," she said. She repeated a call for a public inquiry. Soucy and Pratt-Turo also argued about other cases where police mistreatment has been alleged. An RCMP task force is looking into the mysterious deaths of Rodney Naistus, 25, and Lawrence Wegner, 30. Their frozen bodies were found on Jan. 29 and Feb. 3 in the same area where Night alleges he was dumped. Police are also reviewing the 1990 death of Neil Stonechild, who was found dead from exposure in Saskatoon's north industrial area, and the deaths of Lloyd Joseph Dustyhorn and Darcy Dean Ironchild. No charges have been laid in those deaths, and no specific allegations have been made against officers. Pratt-Turo suggested Night came close to death, too. "It's just lucky that Darrell Night found a phone to call a cab," she said. (Saskatoon StarPhoenix) � The Canadian Press, 2000 -- _________________________________ Truth is a pathless land. --- Krishnamurti ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
