Failed memory syndrome

Perry has now spent 110 days in jail – for stepping up to the plate to protect children, and then daring to say he has lost faith in the justice system. This is the institutional response to allegations of childhood sexual abuse.

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Joseph St. Denis and his testimony are on hold on the back burner until Monday at 1:30 pm23 June 2008. The former Deputy Chief’s day wrapped up around 1330 this afternoon, Monday 06 June 2008. Under “ normal” inquiry circumstances he would be back on Monday afternoon. But, there’s nothing “ normal” about having Claude Shaver on the deck.

Shaver, the former Chief of Police, will commence his testimony on Monday, 09 June 2008 at 0930 hours (9:30 am). Note the time. 9:30 am. Not the usual 1:30 pm. 9:30 am.

Shaver is obviously flying up from Tampa for the week – every golden moment he’s capable of being in the Weave Shed counts.

He may be a week on the stand. Maybe more? But, five day, or six, or seven – Shaver has nothing to fear. He’ll be among friends. He’ll do just fine. Besides, the gathered throng have mellowed since the victims and community witnesses were on the stand. The adversarial air has evaporated. Poof! It’s all but gone!!

Maybe it will resurface? Somewhere?

But, witness the last of Cornwall Police Service witnesses, truth be told John Callaghan and friends at the AG’s office have invested our tax payer’s dollars into the care and prepping of CPS witnesses with great diligence and care. It’s working quite nicely. Shaver I’m sure will be no exception. By now he no doubt has the answer options down pat: (1) “Is there a document to help me?” (2) “I don’t remember,” (3) “Probably, but I’m not sure,” (4) “I don’t have notes,” (5) “that was such a long time ago,” (6) “I can’t recall,” (7) “Heidi Sebalj was a good officer,” (8) “ When Perry……” (9) “I usually did take notes. ” (10) “I was misquoted,” (11) “I don’t know,” (12) “That’s a mistake in my notes” (13) “I never said that,” (14) “ Perry said….”

I would venture a guess that while Shaver’s memory may be as cloudy as those of his former confreres he will recall with certitude that he never darkened the door of Ken Seguin’s home. And he will be adamant he never hopped in a boat to head over to Malcolm MacDonald’s porn strewn cottage on Stanley Island. And I’m inclined to think we’ll hear a little “ I knew him not.”

He’ll do alright. All he needs to remember to do is to say he doesn’t remember, and everyone in the Weave Shed is good with that. There won’t be any pressure. Most if not all the gathered throng seem exceptionally receptive these days to this failed memory syndrome. They understand. Justice Glaude understands. Indeed Weave Shed tolerance for failed memory syndrome has grown by leaps and bounds since Charles Bourgeois took the stand.

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Some comments and questions on St. Denis’ testimony

(1) Taking David Silmser’s victim statement out of the police station

There has been much ado over the gravity of Perry taking David Silmser victim statement outside the police station. I have heard not a word of outrage about Cst. Heidi Sebalj doing likewise.

St. Denis described “taking a document outside the Cornwall Police Service without proper authorization” as “ a very serious violation trust.”

Well, what about this…

Sebalj took Dave’s statement to Brian Snyder’s home. Not to Snyder’s office mind you. His home. When he was off duty.

Sebalj actually left the statement at Snyder’s home for several days, and that presumably so Snyder could conduct a sort of off-duty-fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-hand-writing-analysis of the statement.

Snyder was no “expert.” He told Sebalj he wouldn’t be able to take the stand to discuss his conclusions. He told tell her that if need be there was some fellow in Quebec who might.

The amazing thing here is that in as much as this little foray is always presented in documents with the look of official police business, it was not. Snyder was no expert. Nor was such a step routine investigative procedure.

But, for some strange reason Sebalj decided she wanted Snyder to do this for her – at his home, and apparently in his off-duty hours. And that despite the fact that not one single soul at CPS was ever directed or went to Snyder to have a hand-written document analyzed!

Sebalj did. And, to do so, she had to remove the statement from the police station and leave it in a private home for a goodly number of days.
Whose authorization did Sebalj seek to take the statement out of the CPS and for that purpose? Did she even seek authorization? If yes, who gave it? And why?

Why are there no questions ever from anyone about Sebalj door knocking at Snyder’s private residence statement in hand?

Why?

How many people saw the statement while it lay around Snyder’s home? How many people living in the Snyder home had access to it? How many people visiting had access to it? Who had access to it when Snyder wasn’t around?

What “experts” if any did Snyder show the statement to? Did he ask for help from the expert in Quebec? If he did, did he show him the statement?

Was Snyder married? If yes, what did is wife think of Sebalj arriving on the doorstep statement in hand?

I reiterate: Who, if anyone, gave Sebalj authorization to take that statement out of the Cornwall Police Service? Did anyone conducting any of the multitude of “investigations” ever ask? If not, why not?

Finally, which is the more serious violation of trust? (1) Sebalj giving the statement to an off-duty Snyder at his home so he could make a bit of a non-scientific guess and tell her if David Silmser’s allegations against two “alleged”paedophiles were credible or not? or (2) Perry giving the statement to CAS months later because he knew those two “alleged”paedophiles who had not been charged were out and about and children were at risk and his police force was going to nothing about it?

Who all investigated this little ‘breach’ and concluded Sebalj and Snyder did absolutely no wrong?

(2) Memory good on ‘coincidences’

Joseph St. Denis had rather poor recall of a multitude of events. But, when it came to a “ coincidence” and Perry booking off sick, his memory was clear as a bell.

Apparently in October 1993 a decision had been made that Perry should be “ counselled” as an informal discipline for giving the Silmser statement to CAS.

It’s unclear from testimony when exactly the counselling was to be conducted, but what St. Denis made very clear was that he remembers well that Perry booked off sick the same day the counselling was presumably supposed to transpire. “It was quite a coincidence” said he. “I specifically recall that because it was a coincidence.”

And, one more time: “We were trying to discipline someone and with the easiest discipline possible and all of a sudden it was a coincidence that he booked off.”

Seems, at least in this instance, coincidence is the key word to St. Denis’ recall. We will have to wait to see what if any other such “coincidences” have been indelibly etched into St. Denis mind.

(3) “Some people will argue”

And here’s Justice Glaude trying to explain what he’s doing in the Weave Shed:

I’m looking at this in one way because I have to look at it that some people will argue that the Chief took possession of this file because of his allegiances to Father Charles MacDonald and to Ken Seguin, and I’m not making any finding about that but — yet — and that it would have been his way of taking control of the file, getting it to somebody outside the line of control of command that — you know, that the steps that were taken afterwards were all part of a plan for him to cover this whole thing up.

Indeed.

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Am I imagining things or has anyone else noticed that Justice Glaude seems to initiating the breaks these days? And calling it a day at reasonable hour?

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Strange. Not a word in the media about Father Gary Ostler’s funeral. Not a picture. Not a word.

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Update on Perry

(1) About those teeny weeny meatballs. Perry was wrong. The meatballs weren’t served Sunday. They showed up Thursday evening. All seven of them. A few days later than he had anticipated, but close 🙂

(2) Yesterday’s lunch was a sort of chicken “ thing” with gravy, lots of dry fried potatoes and a bun. The gravy as always is in one of three compartments on the tray. Perry now starts this particular meal by using the bun to make a beef dip. Once finished he douses the dried fried potatoes with the remaining gravy. All becomes palatable. Not a bad lunch!

(3) His larder is fairly well stocked. He is down to three bags of chips but has begun ordering Ritz crackers from the Canteen to supplement the chips. I didn’t realize there is a limit on the number of bags of chips an inmate can order per week. One bag a day. That’s it. Chips includes snack foods such as Cheesies, Nachos, Doritos, Nuts N’ Bolts and so on. Seven in total is it. There is no purchase limit on the little packs of Ritz crackers. Strange isn’t it?

(4) Perry tells me he is fortunate. Between Helen and visitors his account generally has money and he can order from the canteen. Some inmates have no money. That means no canteen, and no canteen means no treats. That must be tough.

(5) We talked about visitors too. Some inmates have no visitors. Sad. Others refuse to see their visitors. Sadder.

It truly is another world.

(6) Someone in the pod was caught smoking this week. I am floored. I must be green because I can’t get beyond wondering how he ever got cigarettes or whatever he was smoking in there in the first place? And what about matches or something to light whatever he was smoking? And how foolish to think the smell woudn’t waft out into the pod.

The long and short is he found a way, took the chance, and now I understand he was not a happy camper after his cell was searched from top to bottom.

(7) Of all the things Perry misses the one thing he mentions so often is human touch. No touch. None. He tries to find words to explain what it’s like to be deprived of human touch. He falls short. He can’t find words. It is an alien experience. I try to imagine. I can’t.

(8) I’ve noticed that Perry now refers to a lot of the inmates in his pod by first name. He knows them. They know him.

(9) It was hot in the cell yesterday. Hot enough that Perry was sweating. After we talked I realized I don’t know if there’s air conditioning in the cells. There must be? But, is there? I will ask.

(10) Life on the inside goes on. Perry told me the other day what we on the outside are called. I think it’s “outers.” I’ll have to check on that, but I think that’s what we are: outers.

(11) Perry is #725852

As always, keep Perry – a.k.a. 725852 – in your prayers. And keep the mail going. He is receiving mail from victims in the States. He is deeply moved by them. Keep writing. A card. A letter. A postcard. Stay in touch. He is more than a number.

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I heard through Perry that Heather (his daughter) had knee surgery yesterday. A sports injury. Outpatient surgery. She’s young and healthy and will rally. But, not pleasant. Especially with everything else. And Grad exercises just around the corner. And dad in jail.

Hope all is well Heather. We’re thinking of you.

Helen will be back in Ontario in a week or so. I think one of the girls will be coming with her, I’m not sure who.

A reminder about Air Miles: (1) Dump your miles to Helen’s account and (2) use Helen’s Air Miles number (below) when and where and as often as you can:

81721906405

And another reminder for BC residents. That $100 rebate could be such a help to the Dunlops in their time of need.

The details for those planning to redirect all or part of their $100 refund to the Dunlop family:

Bank: CIBC

Account name: Helen Dunlop

Transit #: 240
Account #: 83-23038

All you B.C. residents, please pass the word to family, friends, neighbours and co-workers. Ask you minister or priest to make an announcement or put a note in the bulletin. Get the word around. Contact your local radio and TV stations. Ask them to get the word out.

Those across the country who also wish to contribute via this account can certainly do so. There will be legal bills 🙂

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I have a super busy few days ahead. Company today and tomorrow. A graduation on Monday. Will do what I can as I can on the site. Just not enough hours in the day – and the days seem to be getting shorter and shorter.

For all my great plans I didn’t get near the Brendon Well’s testimony yesterday. I did however get through the transcript earlier and have pulled out the areas I want to address. I hope to get back at it and have it posted before next week. For some reason I have a feeling next week will be busy.

For now, keep an eye on New to the Site on the Home page

Enough for now,

Sylvia

(cornwall@theinquiry.ca)