S-F reporter to testify in obstruction of justice trial

Cornwall Standard Freeholder 

Friday, July 20, 2007 - 08:00 

Elisabeth Johns

Local News - A Standard-Freeholder journalist has been subpoenaed to testify at an obstruction of justice trial in September.

Reporter Terri Saunders, who has been covering the Cornwall Public Inquiry since it began in February 2006, was handed a subpoena to be a Crown witness Wednesday.

Officers with the Kingston Police Service, the investigating police force as the Cornwall Community Police Service is a party to the Inquiry, attended the Standard-Freeholder newsroom around 1:30 p.m. On Dec. 12 last year, Albert Roy, a witness at the Cornwall Public Inquiry, testified Steve Parisien, a member of The Victims Group, called him late at night and told him he could "have memory lapses when it came to Perry Dunlop."

Former city cop Perry Dunlop has often been credited with blowing the lid off decades of child sexual abuse in the region.

Roy further testified he was told he could "plead the fifth" so he didn't have to answer a question.

Saunders interviewed Parisien following Roy's testimony.

Parisien denied Roy's allegations, but admitted he did call Roy.

Saunders' article on the interview was then published in the Standard-Freeholder.

Parisien was later charged with obstruction of justice after an investigation by the Kingston police in February.

Parisien said he hired two lawyers before finally settling on city lawyer Bill Wade.

Saunders has been covering Project Truth cases in court since January 2001.