Date

Yr.

Source

Subject

Content

Wed.

26 Jan

94

?Freeholder

(Claudia Peel)

Ottawa police

Chief Carl Johnston

Don Lyon (Ottawa police)

Staff Sgt. Blake (Ottawa police) says the fact-finding portion of the review is almost over.

- the review was called for in wake of extensive media coverage which Johnston and the Cornwall Police Services Board felt left the impression that Cornwall police might be involved in a cover-up.

Johnston:  "Johnston said he was taken aback Monday night by a CJOH-TV report that indicated the investigation of the Cornwall police was more than Ottawa police could handle." 

 - Johnston says Ottawa police had never indicated to him that it would not be able to finish the review.  Said he talked to Skinner who was responsible for the review and Skinner said he would share the report with Johnston once it was completed. 

 - Don Lyon, deputy chief of operations of Ottawa police said it was the criminal investigation into the alleged sexual assault which was referenced on CJOH-TV, not the investigation into how the Cornwall police handled the complaint.  Lyon said former Chief Shaver was interviewed. 

Wed

26 Jan

94

Citizen

(Peter Calamai)

Editorial

Bob Chiarelli

Editorial states that Bob Chiarelli is right - a full provincial investigation must be called immediately into the justice system’s handling of the man's complaint.

- editorila raises the question: did the pay-off agreement obstruct justice?

 - editorial observes that the priest was not, as is required in the protocol, shifted to administrative duties during the investigation but was allowed to maintain contact with children for the better part of a year. 

Wed.

26 Jan

94

Freeholder

(Len Hooper)

Bryce Geoffrey

Geoffrey:  says he did not represent DS when the financial agreement was negotiated with the priest and the diocese.  Said an independent Cornwall lawyer was hired at the time, not to advise the man whether the settlement was a good one, but merely to explain the completed document.

- Geoffrey said he and his client have not discussed reopening the criminal case.

Wed

26 Jan

94

Freeholder

(Sultan Jessa)

Malcolm MacDonald

Bishop Larocque

Jacques Leduc

MacDonald: insists there has never been any attempt to interfere with the administration of justice:   "I cleared everything through the Crown Attorney's office."  "There was never any attempt to cover up anything."

- "But MacDonald says there are 'so many things' he could not comment on, 'But down the road I can.  And you will be interested in my comments.'  He would not elaborate."

 - "MacDonald ...flatly refused to answer questions on comments by Bishop Eugene Larocque and diocesan lawyer Jacques Leduc that he didn't read the out-of-court settlement." ''This is a very ticklish situation' was all MacDonald would say.  'I will not comment on this.'  He said it would not be proper or fair to comment on another lawyer."

 - MacDonald said the one page release was only signed by the complainant and an independent lawyer.

 - MacDonald said he did not comment on the clause during the 14 Jan. news conference (he was present when Larocque and Leduc denied) and did not correct Larocque and Leduc because he was not asked to participate in the conference.

 - MacDonald was not invited to the Monday news conference – he was in court and became aware of it through a message left at his office by Leduc.

 - MacDonald says he is receiving many calls and letters supporting his client.  "Several of the calls have been from other altar boys who vouch the alleged incident never happened."

Fri.

28 Jan

94

Freeholder

(Bowman)

Richard Abell (CAS)

Carl Johnston (acting Chief)

Abell: re protocol between police and CAS.  Says he met with Cornwall Police last December to discuss the two agencies handling allegations of sexual abuse by adults.  Said the meeting took place before reports surfaced 5 Jan that a 35-year-old man had made allegations of sexual abuse against a Cornwall priest.   Abell said  there is no specific requirement for police to report allegations (made) by adults.  It is a "judgement call" by police.

- Abell said he has concerns with guidelines established for complaints of sexual abuse by clergy.

 Johnston agrees there should be a protocol established between police and CAS 

Tues

01 Feb

94

Freeholder

Len Hooper

Murray MacDonald

(Crown Attorney)

Brian Skinner

(Ottawa Police Supt'd.)

Murray MacDonald: says it’s up to police to decide if they want to re-open a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual assault against a former city priest.

- MacDonald confirmed that city police consulted with his office before making the decision to drop the case.

 - MacDonald said that in sexual assault cases in general it=s very difficult to obtain a conviction without the co-operation of the complainant.

 - MacDonald said police make the decision on whether or not lay charges against an individual.  "Once the case reaches the court, then this office assumes broader responsibilities, but as long as it is merely in the investigation stage, we just offer advice to the police on specific legal questions they have."

Ottawa Police Superintendent Skinner says Ottawa police investigation is all but wrapped up and results will be presented to Cornwall police sometime this week. 

Tues.

01 Feb

94

Freeholder

(Claudia Peel)

Report of Ottawa police investigation received this morning by Cornwall police.  Public statement expected in 24 hours.

Wed

02 Feb

94

Freeholder

(Carol Bowman)

Carl Johnston (acting chief)

Peter Griffiths (East Regional Director of Crown Attorney for Ontario)

The Ottawa Police Report concluded there is no evidence of cover-up but there was "a noticeable lack of senior management direction and support throughout the course of the investigation."

- the lack of supervision was addressed by requesting an inspection of Cornwall Police by the Solicitor General=s office.  Those recommendations should be made public by mid-February.

 - Johnston: said he recommended a full-blown investigation be opened in an attempt to locate other alleged victims of sexual abuse.

 - Johnston said he is also going to examine allegations regarding a conspiracy between police and the Church to effect a settlement.  He also said the Cornwall police contacted the alleged victim's lawyer last week inviting him to come forth.

 - Johnston said no new witnesses have come forward so far.  He said the laying of charges could be part of the OPP investigation.

 Griffiths: will serve as liason with OPP and Cornwall Police and any other agency assisting the investigation. 

Thurs.

03 Feb

94

Freeholder

Claudia Peel

Claude Shaver

Ottawa police

Shaver: says controversy surrounding sexual assault complaint has tarnished many reputations in this community.

- Shaver said Wednesday he was not surprised Ottawa police found no evidence of a cover-up on part of police.  He said the investigation into the allegations was given a high priority but that it became apparent as the investigation unfolded that the alleged molestation was an isolated incident.

- Shaver said he asked for an internal investigation before he left office to find out why the investigation took so long.

-  Shaver:  "When the OPP comes back and looks at the criminal part of the investigation, I hope that clears it for the rest of the community.  There's a man's reputation at stake.  I'm concerned about the priest's reputation and the reputation of other people on the fringes of this."

 Ottawa police concluded "there was a noticeable lack of senior management direction and support" throughout the Cornwall police 10 month investigation into the sex abuse allegations.  

Thurs.

03 Feb.

94

Freeholder

Editorial

OPP

Ottawa police

Editorial states it’s time to clear the air, and the decision to call in the OPP investigators "who will start from scratch, is step in the right direction."

- editorial refers to "conspiracy theory which puts the Cornwall Police Services investigation and Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall in bed together in a bid to keep the case out of the courts and nip unwanted publicity."

 - according to Ottawa police, there is no cover-up by city police but concluded there was lack of senior management direction and support etc.

 - acting chief Johnston (not with Cornwall force at the time) blames a heavy workload during the investigation. 

18 May

94

DOCUMENT

"rec'd on this date "Board of Inquiry

charges under Police Services Act 1990

Perry Dunlop

"It is alleged that you are guilty of misconduct contrary to Section 56 of the Police Services Act, 1990.”

-Dunlop was charged with discreditable conduct for providing copy of Silmser statement to Richard Abell of the CAS and with breach of confidence for divulging a matter “which it was your duty to keep secret," and also with breach of confidence for showing the statement to Abell “without proper authority" to a person who "is not a member of the Cornwall Police Force."

15 Sept

94

Freeholder

(Ian Hamilton)

Stuart McDonald

- the story line is that Stuart McDonald, "a senior Cornwall police officer" has been charged after American liquor was seized at a party 16 July.

24 Sept

94

Citizen

(Mike Blanchfield)

Allan O'Brien (Dunlop's lawyer)

Dr. John Bradford (ROH)

O'Brien: has moved to have the charge against Dunlop quashed:  "If Perry Dunlop hadn't reported this, someone could have said that was discreditable conduct."

- Bradford: in a sworn affidavit states: AIn my opinion, based upon the witness statement I reviewed, there were reasonable grounds to believe . . . that one or more children under the age of 16 were presently suffering sexual molestation or sexual exploitation by the priest in question.

24 Sept.

94

?Sun (Thomson News Service)

Karina Byrne

Constable Perry Dunlop

Disciplinary hearing

Jean Lu (Cornwall Police Services lawyer)

re Perry Dunlop's disciplinary hearing in Ottawa on Friday.

- Dunlop: said that after investigating his actions (re Charlie/DS), Cornwall police did not lay misconduct charges against him at the time.  But once the victim's complaint was made public, the Cornwall Police Services Board hired its own lawyer.  Outside the hearing room he said:  "As the complaint filtered down through the department, they realized that they needed a fall guy.  Well, I'm not going to be that fall guy."

 - Dunlop said he received no support from management but does have three or four fellow officers behind him. He said has had to take time off work because of tension, but has no regrets.  "I did it to save the kids because this guy was still a priest in a neighbour parish, and he's dangerous to them.  I did the right thing.  I've got to be able to look at myself in the mirror in the morning."

 - Dunlop's lawyer, Allan O'Brien, argued that Dunlop had followed the law under the Child and Family Services Act and should be protected from any disciplinary action because of it.

- Cornwall Police Services lawyer, Jean Lu, said Dunlop went outside his jurisdiction by going to the CAS because the priest was in another church outside Cornwall at the time. 

26 Sept.

94

Toronto Sun

Perry Dunlop

Ontario Police Services Act

Children’s Aid Society

Dunlop: "faces professional misconduct charges for going to the Children's Aid Society with suspicions that a local priest and probation officer might be sexually abusing children."

- Dunlop is charged with breach of confidence and discreditable conduct under the Ontario Police Services Act.  He could be reprimanded or fired if found guilty.

 - Dunlop admits giving a copy of a sexual assault statement to the Cornwall Children's Aid Society but denies leaking it to the media.

- the article notes that under the Ontario Child and Family Services Act all professionals, including police officers, must report suspected child abuse to the CAS.

03 Oct.

94

Toronto Star

 (Mark Bourrie)

Perry Dunlop

OPP

Dunlop charged under Ontario Police Services Act for illegally giving a copy of a witness statement to CAS.

- the OPP re-opened the case against the priest earlier this year. 

04 Oct.

94

Freeholder

(Carol Bowman)

Perry Dunlop

Staff Sgt. Brendon Wells (Cornwall Police Service)

Carl Johnston

The Freeholder has learned that Perry Dunlop may have breached an internal rule when he agreed to be interviewed by an Ottawa reporter.

- Staff Sgt. Wells interrogated Thomson News Reporter Karina Byrne last week about a story she wrote following Cst. Dunlop's 23 Sept. hearing.  He asked if she approached Dunlop for the interview or he approached her.  Wells met with Byrne and news editor Kevin Bell for about 30 mins looking for confirmation that Dunlop spoke to them.  According to Wells, Dunlop is not a designated spokesman.  Said Bell, "It seemed odd to me that in a disciplinary hearing he could not speak on his behalf.  It's kind of absurd that the department feels it has to be the spokesperson when it is the one prosecuting him."

Johnston: confirmed the department has a code of conduct which forbids anyone without proper authority from communicating with the public or media about any matter connected with the police service. 

30 Nov.

94

Freeholder

(Greg Kieler)

Milton MacDonald

Milton MacDonald: a respected community leader, married man with a special interest in youth, 71-years-old, former reeve was charged in March with assaults on young boys over 30-year period from mid 60s to 1992. 

- Milton MacDonald entered a plea on Friday to nine sex charges in Alexandria court.  This is the second time in twenty-five years he has been convicted of a sex offence.  In 1969 pleaded guilty and was placed on two year probation.

24 Dec

94

Freeholder

(Len Hooper)

OPP

Bishop Larocque

- there are no grounds to lay charges against a former city priest accused of sexually assaulting a boy years ago.

- a press release on Friday from the Kingston-based criminal investigation branch said the nine month investigation has been completed.

 - Larocque: said he “will be relieved if we can put this behind us once and for all, if that can happen.  And I'll be very glad for the priest if that's possible too."

 - Larocque said the priest is now studying advanced theology in Toronto.  He said it is unknown if he will return to active duty now that he has been cleared: "That's something I'll have to talk to my advisers about, and of course talk to the priest about."

 - Larocque refused to comment on the possibility of seeking recovery of the money paid to the man who made the accusations. 

09 Jan

95

?? Freeholder

Lisa Hrabluk

Milton MacDonald

Milton MacDonald: former reeve Lancaster Village and convicted paedophile sentenced to 20 months for molesting nine Lancaster-area youths between 1963 and 1992.  MacDonald was found guilty of sexually assaulting a young male in 1969.  He stopped until 1987 when he started assaulting a Lancaster youth: the assaults continued until boy started dating in 1992.