THE WHEELS OF JUSTICE GRIND SLOWLY

When they grind at all. I've been in court an entire week now and the Crown Hasn't yet finished their case against me. They have lots of police officers to get through on the stand (arresting officers who have to be examined and cross examined) lots of newspaper clippings, lots of video to be shown. But I think next Tuesday (Sept.26th may be the last day of the Crown's case (there in no court on Monday for me) and then Cameron Ward, my lawyer, will start to present my defense, perhaps by Tuesday afternoon.
Not that I have a defense. Not really. Not according to signals from Madam Justice Brown. She will only consider if I broke the injunction at Eagleridge Bluffs (she knows I did, everybody knows I did, my God, how could anybody in the court room have missed it?)and will not consider my motives, whatever they may be. Furthermore, she will not listen to legal argument (in any substantive way) why I, as were the others, arrested under a ruling where there is no defense (a ruling made especially for citizens who actually think there is such a thing as participatory democracy) instead of under the criminal code where we would have a defense as she would then have to take motive into consideration. Just think, people, under the criminal code would could actually talk about Eagleridge Bluffs! And why we were there! And Madam Justice Brown would have to take our motives into consideration!
Because even though the Crown is taking up all of the court's time this is not a fair trial. Madam Justice Brown will say that it is, should she be asked, as would Crown Council Michael Brundrett. And so would Wally Oppal say of course this is a fair trial (indidentally if you are in court you may get to hear him say it himself as we have subpoenaed him to come to court on Tues. or Wed.)and if one doubts it just look at the mountains of paper and plastic disks generated. In truth, if one just looks at all the stuff surrounding this trial, it certainly looks like something of note might be happening here, some serious question of justice taking place.
But don't be fooled. It's a sham. A farce. It's all so the Crown can say, well, just look at those mounds and mounds of evidence against the old woman, look at all the vidos, it has taken a week to show them all and we're still not finished, we believe this is proff of her continued lawlessness, so goodbye, Granny, you're going to the country for a mighty long spell, a little prison farm will do you good, and never mind that the leave taking to Alouette Prison will be without benefit of due process or a jury trial.
And while on Tuesday Cameron will argue that the issue of why injunctions should not be used againt citizens trying to protect the life support systems of this province it will fall on judicial deaf ears, at least at this stage.
But we will be appealing this trial in the hopes that a higher court may not be so deaf as well as blind to justice. I will be taking the witness stand myself, probably on Wednesday. But as court is only scheduled this next week for Tuesday and Wednesday do try to come support us on those days becasue in some crazy way I don't quite understand we may be making history. And I may be a foolish old woman but I do believe that by embracing our bluffs and waters and woods and refusing to let go that we will further the cause of the right of citizens to protect these very environments. My love, Betty Krawczyk