David Asper Applies for Standing

David Asper, one of Milgaard's original lawyers, has applied for standing and funding at the inquiry. Asper will be called as a witness anyway and according to CBC News, "after reviewing transcripts of the inquiry, it appeared to Asper that some parties were seeking 'to justify their conduct or roles in the wrongful conviction of Mr. Milgaard and in so doing, to cast aspersions upon those involved on Mr. Milgaard's behalf in overturning the convictions.'"

Asper is best known as the son of the late Izzy Asper, owner of CanWest Global Communications. CBC estimated CanWest's holdings at approximately $1 billion, intimating that some people thought that Asper should pay for his own funding at the inquiry. Why should he be forced to do that when no one else is paying for their standing? Moreover, Asper wants the right to cross-examine witnesses.

In many circles, David Asper was seen as the knight in shining armor who rescued Milgaard; Asper was the junior lawyer on Milgaard's case and he put in an inordinate amount of time, blood, sweat and tears along with Hersh Wolch to get the case to the Supreme Court. However, the public doesn't seem to be quite as pleased with Asper in his CanWest role.

Sigrid Mac, still lounging outside of Fort Lauderdale