Sagittarius
The first words out of my mouth were something to the effect of, “They can't even decide if they can pay for the upcoming trial, and now they are thinking of appealing when he has already been convicted!?” (expletives left out).
Mr. Frey laughed and said to his wife, whom I am a big fan of, that they had quite successfully gotten my “knickers in a knot” and chuckled at my incredulous, profanity-riddled, passionate outburst.
I then realized this was not, in fact, about me, but about them, and so I asked the obvious question: “Do you care if he is guilty of first degree or second degree?”
“Nope,” both of them replied. "He is going away for the rest of his life,” they said. Musing that they felt they “got justice, but not accountability,” the Frey's also spoke of fears that there is “nothing to win, but everything to lose” if an appeal into his conviction goes through.
So what is Mr. Oppal up to? (Mr. Oppal, of course, being our province's Attorney General who would ultimately be the final say in this kind of thing).
Here is what I could glean as of last night: Wally Oppal, as of Jan 3, 2008, was saying he thought an appeal by the Crown was unlikely and a request for appeal by the defense was in fact anticipated.
Oppal was also saying on December 10, 2007 that “public interest” would dictate whether Pickton would go on trial for the next 20 charges.
On January 6th 2008, it came to light the papers would be filed on January 7th, 2008 on behalf of the Crown to start an appeal of Pickton's second degree guilty verdict, because the Crown feels that the jury should have come back with a first degree conviction.
COMMENTS (6)
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Re: Nothing To Win By Appealing Pickton's Conviction
By Holly Desimone, January 11, 2008 at 12:00Hi everyone,
I also agree with you Heather. Even if you make it though trial in any case, it is never granted the outcome will be a guilty verdict. I have been in court, waiting to testify at a trial. Believe me I did not know what the outcome would be....it was in the hands of a jury and judge. During a trial you are put on the stand and your life is ripped apart in many ways.
No one going into a trial has any idea of what the outcome will be....we can only hope that justice is served.. As I post this I think of the jury in my case, and the jury members in this case.
It must truly be a difficult time for the jury.
Personally I think if the families wish to tell the stories of the murdered women it is nice to know they can do that here at Orato.
Thank you Orato for giving the families a voice.....one that has been lost for several years.
Re: Nothing To Win By Appealing Pickton's Conviction
By Heather Wallace, January 10, 2008 at 21:09It's the reality of the legal system. It's not fair or sensitive to the families, but it's part of the due process we need to preserve.
At least when we see how draining a trial can be emotionally for the families, we can start to consider some families of the other 20 victims associated with Pickton may be better off if they don't have to endure a trial that drags on years. There are other ways to make peace. We can honor the women and give them some justice by continuing to tell the story and ask why this happened at all.
If any of the families of women among the other 20 counts wish to tell the story of their loved one, Orato.com is here for that. Let's pull it into the public forum no matter what happens in court.
There are other serial killers and other missing women. We need to keep talking.
I can see both sides, but I wanted to play devil's advocate this time.
Heather
Re: Nothing To Win By Appealing Pickton's Conviction
By luyen, January 11, 2008 at 09:50I agree with you Heather, it's a continuous search for fairness and justice, and it is a due process that works relatively well, at least compared to the rest of the world - lawyers and judges are often portrayed as cold and callous, but they have emotions and are just like anybody else, but maybe similar to doctors, they don't want or cannot afford (personally) to get too emotionally involved, maybe then it hinders the legal process... -
Anyhow, i definitely concur that there are other ways to make peace, there is a great opportunity for the families and the public to learn from this, and to really make concrete changes in the way we think and act, I think that will be a far more useful commemoration than dragging out the trial endlessly!
Re: Nothing To Win By Appealing Pickton's Conviction
By luyen, January 8, 2008 at 10:33I don't know if my opinion coincides with any other british columbians, but i'm quite tired of hearing about the pickton trial, not because it's not relevant, but because there was a sense of closure, and let's move on, hopefully in a better direction afterwards...and then after hearing about this appeal, it felt like we were right back in it!
I'm curious how the families must feel - i know personally, if I were in their shoes i might be upset that this has re-surfaced during a time when you'd want to start letting it go...
Re: Nothing To Win By Appealing Pickton's Conviction
By codeblue, January 8, 2008 at 07:37This appeal is nothing less than offensive to the people of British Columbia. As is, Picton will spend his life behind bars and what else needs to be accomplished? Hundreds of millions of dollars spent to give families 'resolution'? As harsh is that may sound, lets get a grip on reality here. I doubt one family needs to hear a judge utter the word 'guilty' to 'prove' what everyone already knows. How about spending the 100's of millions of dollars helping the women such as Picton preyed on? Instead, a second trial will accomplish what? Give a few people 'closure'? That's nuts. For a court system that is supposed to be detached and impartial this is pure political interference and Wally Opal shouldn't have the authority to play a game of chance with public money.
Has anyone considered that a second trial may even result in an aquittal?!?! A second trial will only fatten the wallets of a few more lawyers and at the end of the day Picton will STILL be behind bars for the rest of his life.
This Province's legal system is screwed. The current AG Oppal should resign. He was an incompetent judge and remains so, simply because his image and that of his governments seems to trump common sense. Between this trial and trials such as Air India and the billions of dollars wasted, I suggest we hand our criminal courts over to the federal government where there is a greater degree of competence. The current and previous provinicial governments are seemingly incapable in maintiaining a just justice system. Picton's case should have been investigated in months with complete convictions of first degree murder.
Re: Nothing To Win By Appealing Pickton's Conviction
By Holly Desimone, January 7, 2008 at 18:24Very interesting move by Mr. Oppal, Attorney General for British Columbia.
I feel it has to do with the fact the Judge did make several errors in rulings which involve this case. Other potential cases in the future.
By launching this appeal the Attorney General does have the right to keep evidence under publication ban.
Several media outlets would like to report on. Investments into books and documentaries are potentially on hold at the same time. It also can make it difficult to report on the details which are under appeal. Including the other 20 charges before the courts.
"BUT" I pose this question in relation to the sex trade workers, potential legal arguments before courts about prostitution laws in Canada. Could this be playing a part in this legal mess, a mess that will be drawn out for several years??
Pickton still will remain behind bars.
It is a way to ensure issues that are very conservative are not addressed. It is a way to prevent governments from not addressing survival sex, homelessness in every province, cuts to social programs. Issues that play a part in this matter of ACCOUNTABILITY in respect to this case.
No one is going to get any honest answer about ACCOUNTABILITY in respect to this case. Just my opinion...