Joyce Milgaard Castigates MacCallum
Joyce Milgaard spoke out strongly against Justice MacCallum's decision to force her son to testify at the inquiry. She seemed incredulous that Larry Fisher, a known serial rapist and murderer, could maintain legal standing at the hearing but that her own wrongly convicted son could lose his. CBC News quoted Joyce as saying that David could be "devastated" if he were forced to undergo cross-examination.
I would like to make it clear that Joyce Milgaard is a dear friend of mine. I have been a supporter of David Milgaard's since 1992 and I know how badly treated he was. I met him personally on a number of occasions. We were "friends" for a year or two when he used to visit his mother in Ottawa. At that time, he had just been released from prison and -- how can I put this delicately? -- he was a total basket case. He was severely traumatized by having been gang raped in prison a number of times when he was quite young. Dave endured months in solitary confinement, which was grossly inhumane for a person with such fragile mental-health. He tried to kill himself two or three times. He went through hell. There's no disputing that and no one would want to hurt him any further by making him do something that makes him feel so uncomfortable. Just seems as tho this issue should have been addressed months ago by the Justice and the lawyers.
A Canadian Press article by Tim Cook, said that Hersh Wolch did make it perfectly clear back in January that David did not want to testify. MacCallum knew that but he got really mad after David called the press conference, using the rooms of the inquiry to "undermine it," which is how MacCallum perceived David's comments.
"The Milgaard inquiry is unique in that Milgaard is physically able to testify but doesn't want to," said Lorne Sossin, associate dean of law at the University of Toronto and an expert on public inquiries.
Sossin wondered how the public would perceived the outcome of the inquiry if the main man does not have the "confidence" in the process to attend. It's not about confidence -- it's about David not wanting to relive this whole nightmare. And it's not really about his physical ability either; it's about his mental-health.
David has never participated in any of the legal events surrounding his case, if he could help it, since he completed the suit against Saskatchewan. Immediately before that was resolved, David was hospitalized for clinical depression, which resolved once the litigation was over and the financial compensation package was settled. Lest anyone think that Milgaard was after money, he could barely spend the money after he got it because he had become so accustomed to being a welfare hippie. He ended up giving a large portion of his settlement away to various members of his family, and appears to be using the rest to travel and support himself since he will not likely ever work again.
Sigrid Mac
I would like to make it clear that Joyce Milgaard is a dear friend of mine. I have been a supporter of David Milgaard's since 1992 and I know how badly treated he was. I met him personally on a number of occasions. We were "friends" for a year or two when he used to visit his mother in Ottawa. At that time, he had just been released from prison and -- how can I put this delicately? -- he was a total basket case. He was severely traumatized by having been gang raped in prison a number of times when he was quite young. Dave endured months in solitary confinement, which was grossly inhumane for a person with such fragile mental-health. He tried to kill himself two or three times. He went through hell. There's no disputing that and no one would want to hurt him any further by making him do something that makes him feel so uncomfortable. Just seems as tho this issue should have been addressed months ago by the Justice and the lawyers.
A Canadian Press article by Tim Cook, said that Hersh Wolch did make it perfectly clear back in January that David did not want to testify. MacCallum knew that but he got really mad after David called the press conference, using the rooms of the inquiry to "undermine it," which is how MacCallum perceived David's comments.
"The Milgaard inquiry is unique in that Milgaard is physically able to testify but doesn't want to," said Lorne Sossin, associate dean of law at the University of Toronto and an expert on public inquiries.
Sossin wondered how the public would perceived the outcome of the inquiry if the main man does not have the "confidence" in the process to attend. It's not about confidence -- it's about David not wanting to relive this whole nightmare. And it's not really about his physical ability either; it's about his mental-health.
David has never participated in any of the legal events surrounding his case, if he could help it, since he completed the suit against Saskatchewan. Immediately before that was resolved, David was hospitalized for clinical depression, which resolved once the litigation was over and the financial compensation package was settled. Lest anyone think that Milgaard was after money, he could barely spend the money after he got it because he had become so accustomed to being a welfare hippie. He ended up giving a large portion of his settlement away to various members of his family, and appears to be using the rest to travel and support himself since he will not likely ever work again.
Sigrid Mac
posted by Sigrid Macdonald @ 9:25 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home