While putting this episode together my mind kept getting stuck on a few details I remembered vividly. I was overwhelmed remembering! You know how some things just stick with you and you can play them over and over like a song on repeat! The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round. After this episode I had a difficult time re-grouping, trying to stop that sick feeling in my stomach.
While in the courtroom I was hanging on every word that was said while looking intently at the judge and trying to gauge her reaction. Did she actually believe what she was hearing! When something wasn’t quite right or not the way Ken experienced it, I saw his body shift, his shoulders go up and knew he was doing all he could not to run his hands thru his hair.
In fact, at one point the prosecution made an assertion of fact. The judge asked the prosecution where the proof of that evidence was? The prosecutor said it was in the office. The judge said “well let’s take a 10-minute recess while you go get that evidence”
We all exited the courtroom and many of us waited in the curtained off area so we didn’t have to go thru the metal detectors again. Our lawyer and one of the prosecutors waited in this area as well. The prosecutor sat down on the bench, holding her head and said “what am I going to do now?” It was obvious she did not in fact have the evidence to back up her statement to the judge. Our lawyer said, “would you like me to look after this?” the reply was “would you”?
Lawyers see each other every day and are always aware that they might want to trade in a favour on another case, so they sometimes help each other out. That’s just the way the world works. But it seemed crazy to me because we had so much on the line.
These are the things that stand out in my mind. Three men accused of murder facing spending the rest of their lives in jail and statements are made that are false by crown. Why?!! I don’t understand…why is it this way? What is the vested interest here? Is it about what actually happened? Or is it about winning at all costs? The most difficult thing for me to understand is the accused must tell the truth at all costs, if they do not there are consequences. Perjury! And all they have said would be brought into question.
But that did not seem to be the case for crown. I was told when it came to trial crown was held to a higher standard of behaviour. That was not our experience and I am not aware of any consequences to crown. Three men would have borne all the consequences of a lie.