Hearings resumed at 0930 hours (9:30 am) this morning, Friday 04 April 2008. S/Sgt. Luc Brunet will return to the stand and resume his examination in chief. Because it’s Friday hearings will run through the lunch with an early recess for the weekend.
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Perry will appeal!
Perry intends to launch an appeal. I know no more than that. Paper work is being filed advising the courts of his intent. He had thirty days. The notice of intent to appeal must be filed by 05 April 2008. Tomorrow.
The procuring of the necessary information and filing has not been without its problems.For example, the Law Society of Upper Canada has a toll-free line for inmates. A great idea. However inmates, or at least Perry, must place calls ‘collect’ and can not receive calls. A problem. It became necessary therefore for someone from ‘the outside’ to contact the society, obtain an alternate access number which will accept the collect call, and then relay that information to Perry the following day.
In addition as an inmate Perry is reliant on receiving the requisite appeal-related forms from authorities within the detention centre. He asked for the documents. Then he waited.
On Wednesday Perry received and filled in the forms immediately upon receipt, put the paperwork in an envelope and gave it to a guard to be put in the mail. Yesterday evening (Thursday) he learned that the envelope was sitting on a desk somewhere in the facility! It had not been mailed. A big problem.
I don’t know if the deadline of 05 April is a deadline for receipt by the courts or for the postdate. Regardless, prison officials were to be contacted to get this sorted out.
All this a gentle reminder on Perry’s predicament and his absolute dependence on the good will and/or prompt actions of his keepers. But, bottom line, Perry is filing an appeal. Keep him in your prayers.
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I have a few comments to make re yesterday’s testimony but for expediency right now will restrict to the following:
(1) David Silmser did not want to deal with a female police officer. We have known that all along. He was, as are many male victims of man/boy sexual abuse, uncomfortable discussing his sex abuse allegations with a female.
However what I did not realize was that Dave did not make the complaint once. He complained at least four times! There is record of four known instances in which David Silmser made known his upset that a female officer, Heidi Sebalj, had been assigned to investigate his allegations.
Four. Four times Dave’s plea and/or upset in this regard were ignored. Not once. Not twice. Four times! Ignored.
And they describe David Silmser as uncooperative? Think about it.
(2) Luc Brunet actually let Heidi Sebalj cut her investigative teeth on the sex abuse allegations against two prominent men in the community, Father Charles MacDonald and Ken Seguin! Unbelievable and unconscionable.
This is how Brunet rationalised his decision to pick Heidi:
MR. BRUNET: Well, obviously the — I had to look for somebody that would be available to start working on it right away. At the time of this investigation, of this report, both the two senior officers that would have had experience — more experience in the sexual assault area were Sergeant Ron Lefebvre and Constable Kevin Malloy.
Both of them had been very implicated, very involved in a –- they were preparing for a preliminary hearing for the homicide of a little girl, and it was taking its toll on them. They were extremely busy and I could see that it was very taxing on them, and I didn’t feel that they would have been able to get to it in a timely fashion.
Then I — Constable Sebalj was — she had a year of experience in the Investigation Branch. She had worked for me before. I knew she was very keen on getting experience in sexual assaults. Like, she had done some already but she was very keen. She wanted to improve her skills and she was — she was a very talented young lady.
She was very intelligent and I felt that she had the ability to do this type of investigation with the assistance of Sergeant Lefebvre, Constable Malloy and myself. I felt that we had the experience to help her to be able to do this type of investigation.
(3) According to S/Sgt. Garry Derochie, during her ‘investigation’ Heidi sought and received information from Father Charlie’s lawyer, Malcolm MacDonald!
Again, unbelievable! I was dumbfounded to hear that one. I will check the details.
A final note. I realize it’s early in his testimony, but to date S/Sgt Brunet seems to be following the lead of S/Sgt. Garry Derochie – Excuse. Rationalize. Circle the Cornwall Police Service wagons.
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Our company is gone. A wonderful visit and pleasant evening. They are now off to see and enjoy the sights of beautiful Montreal. I will get at media postings 🙂
Enough for now,
Sylvia