Media exploited case – judge

8 May 02 

By Terri Saunders

A judge's comments that sex trials are "ordinary" and "run-of-the-mill" angered members of the public gallery during a Project Truth trial on Tuesday. Judge W. Dan Chilcott was referring to media coverage of the case surrounding Rev. Charles MacDonald and others charged with sex offences, saying the press created interest in the investigation.

"(Without) the media coverage, who would have cared what happened 30 years ago in Cornwall?" said Chilcott. "It's a small community. On an ordinary day, without the media coverage, it would have been just a number on a docket." Outside the courtroom, the mother of a complainant in an earlier Project Truth trial was outraged at the judge's suggestion.

"Who would care?" she asked, her voice cracking with emotion. "I care. My son cared." Chilcott said media interest was encouraged by the involvement of former Cornwall police constable Perry Dunlop; the allegations levied at prominent members of the community; as well as the public perception of a coverup and conspiracy among those involved to keep the allegations quiet.

"All of these things were fuelling the media," said Chilcott. "Otherwise, it would have been an ordinary, run-of-the-mill, everyday sex charge." Later in the proceedings, Crown attorney Lorne McConnery addressed the judge's comments, saying he didn't believe Chilcott was downplaying the seriousness of such charges.

"You said to me, 'Who would care,' if not for all this publicity," said McConnery. "I just want to say I know your honour wasn't saying (you) don't care about the victims."

Chilcott said he was trying to make a point about the involvement of the media creating international interest in the investigation, something that otherwise would be unusual in such cases.