Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-11-10, Page 7News Couple hopes campaign will push for prompt review of Truscott case By Cheryl Heath News -Record Editor Husband -and -wife team Mary and Jeff Yanchus, who are both teachers in their adopted hometown of Guelph. are once again stepping up w the plate to spearhead a postcard campaign to encourage Ontario's Attorney General to immediately review the Steven Truscott case. The campaign comes on the heels of federal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler's Nov. 4 announcement that Truscott's appeal, originally filed in 2001, will be sent to the Ontario Court of Appeal for review. The hope is, says Mary Yanchus, that Attorney General Michael J. Bryant will expedite, rather than delay, a decision on the 45 - year -old case. Yanchus, a Clinton native who has been a Truscott supporter since first learning about the case in the 1970s, notes this next step in the appeal process is an onerous one given the burden will be on the Truscott team to prove Steven's innocence instead of the hoped for focus on how flimsy the Crown's case was in Steven's 1959 conviction for the murder of 12 -year- old Lynne Harper. "Given that the first trial was flawed, the burden should be on the court," she says, noting the pathologist's retraction of his original findings should never have been kept from the Supreme Court, which hehrd Steven's appeal in 1966. Yanchus says there are countless Truscott supporters in Huron County. Indeed, she says many of Steven's former classmates and neighbours make a point of participating in campaigns such as this one. The Yanchus family members holding an open house at their Guelph home Nov. 10, from 7 t ill 9 p.m. to officially kick off the campaign. Mary says the hope is that about 16,000 postcards will he sent to the Attorney General's office through till Christmas. A number of area businesses, including Crossroads in Clinton, The Village Bookshop in Bayfield, Today's Variety in Londesboro, Fincher's in Goderich and Culligan Real Estate in Seaforth, are carrying the postcards. Yanchus also notes the Clinton Kinettes picked up the entire cost of the first postcard campaign, which was designed to draw the federal government's attention to the case. That was a much appreciated move by the Truscott family, she says. The second postcard campaign, launched about a year later, was designed to draw then justice miniser Martin Cauchon's attention to Steven's appeal. She adds that it is a common perception that Steven was "railroaded." She says she has met and talked with many people involved with the case and the Truscott family, including her father-in-law who worked with Steven, that believe in his innocence. The Yanchus family first met the Truscott family in 2000 after seeing a Fifth Estate documentary on the case. Steckle says he understands Minister of Justice decision in Truscott case By Tim Cumming Signal -Star Editor There will be no retrial in Goderich despite the wishes of the defendant in one of Canada's most famous murder cases. Steven Truscott's fight to have his name cleared will once again be delayed but Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle said he understands why Canada's Justice Minister, Irwin Cotler, decided to send the case to the Ontario Court of Appeal. Steckle had previously spoken out in favour of a retrial so Truscott could be found not guilty in the same Goderich courtroom where he was once sentenced to hang. The Huron -Bruce MP. however, said in a telephone interview from Ottawa on Thursday that he understood the Attorney General's reasons for his decision. "I felt the Minister very clearly noted his careful consideration of the matter," Steckle said. "The Minister made it clear today he wasn't in a position to give a guilt or r UK innocence judgment." The Justice Minister's position was, according to Steckle, that a retrial of the case could result in the proceedings being 'stayed' because so much evidence has been lost in the ensuing years since the trial. He said that would leave the case in limbo, or 'on hold', and there might never he any resolution or closure to the highly - publicized case. The cabinet minister declared at Thursday's press conference that Truscott, who had been convicted of the murder of Clinton -area child Lynne Harper when he was only a teen, had likely received a "miscarriage of justice." This the first time a senior Canadian cabinet minister has made such a declaration, according to Steckle. "(We have had) a public declaration of the belief there was a miscarriage of justice; something never been said by a person in the Justice Minister's position before," Steckle said. Truscott had wanted the case retried in Goderich, at the courthouse where he was at one time sentenced to death, so he might be finally exonerated for the crime. The rape and murder of 12 -year-old Harper in 1959 shocked the community around the air force base near Clinton (the base is now the community of Vanastra) and shocked all of Canada. The fact that a 14 -year- old boy was tried for the crime made it even more notorious. When Truscott was tried, however, there were certain judicial irregularities. For instance, an expert witness who claimed the girl's stomach contents could provide an almost exact time the crime occurred — a crucial piece of evidence in the Crown's case against Truscott — would later question his assumptions. That evidence was never presented in the original case or in subsequent appeals. Although the decision on the Truscott case is not what Steckle said he had hoped for, the MP said justice is still possible for — — —.1111-11111L-11111111. — — sat — AM — — — 2 Day Truckload Sale I Saturday; Nov. 13 & Sunday Nov. 14 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I^,1I r,f,T WRENCHES WELDERS 238 Pt is 0 $59.95 JUMP STARTERS 900 PEAK AMPS only with Air Compressor and Light • WIr. F • 125 MI • 115 VOLTS only I* § 1 9�$59 .• U•VA elWafi\iF'1 11 LasRr Guido 7 114 Inch with Carrying Caw «nay $59." 1 aft $ :9.951 ver Tarps in stock! 4 no Poly Mem rxr eft OAS • 8'x10' •My 23.90 8'x12' only $4.96 1 12'x18' Doty $11.90 1 18'x24' only $22.90 Coleman Powermate Ultra 2500 Watts only 99 20130 Lb. Capacity Includes 20 hot of Coble only $09.95 ROTARY OOLSETS CORDLESS DRILLS POWERFULL 18 VOLT DRILLS WMTH /ATTERY a CHARGER °""$29 M WOODEN KITCHEN CHAIRS Flame Itubbad Wax Finish Spanish Styling r r MITRE SAWS tam & ta 16 Amp Rear I 46 Dowse Tilt with /01 3.6 Volt 85 PI.c.s only 1114. HAMMER DRILLS 1/2" Chuck WAS Alyea 120 Ny Volt RECIPROCATING SAW ROTOTILLERS $24.95 R fI• G C. $14,95 6 '/I HP OHV Engin. REAR TYNE AIR TOOLS YOUR CHOICE ta• Of Iasii • pal O1a/n •• 1i4 "Atr Rachel r Impost trr.am0 • teaser Ilrsd Maw • w &Ivo R.MO .., 823.95 sub 1 1 the former area resident in the coming months or years. "I wish all the best for the outcome of their case," Steckle said, in response to the long campaign by Truscott and his wife Marlene to have his name cleared. The MP said he could not imagine what the former area man has gone through during the many years since the trial. TMs HURON EXPOSITOR, Nov. 10, 0004.7 Heart 5,3r ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING will be held at the Elma Memorial Community Centre, Atwood, Ontario WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2004 Complimentary Dinner: 6:00 P.M. Meeting Start Time: 7:00 P.M. For Dinner Planning, Attendance Must J,e Confirmed in Advance, Please Register By Contacting Your Branch or calling Shelley Merner (5l9) 482-3409 ext. 231 by Friday. November 19. 2004 For the purpose of receiving reports and financial statements for the year ending September 30, 2004; electing Directors and Credit Committee Officers; appointing Auditors; amending Bylaws and the transacting of all other business of an Annual Meeting, stated only on the aganda as per bylaw No. 7.07 Special Door Prizes! Entertainment - Greg Dechert Internationally recognized musician Transportation Available Buses will be leaving from the Clinton and Exeter branch office parking lots at 5:00 p.m. Please call Shelley Merner at the Clinton office 482-3409 Ext. 231, Karen Fox at Exeter Branch 235-0640 by Friday, Nov. 19th, 2004, to arrange. Note: All branches closing 0 4:30 p.m. on this date. Confirm your attendance today. Hope to see you there! All Members are wefeome. Peter MCFAW, Corporate Secretary Head Office, Clinton Ph. (519) 482-34486 Fax (519) 482-3743 Exeter Branch Ph. (519) 235-0640 Fax (519) 235-0261 Uetowel Branch Ph. (519) 291.6189 Fax (519) 291-6191 Webarteyww.heal ialldcommunfycu.on.(2i Public Notice Your Rights Under the Personal Health Information Protection Act The privacy of your health information is important. On November 1, 2004, the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) came into effect. The act: • Creates rules for the collection, use and sharing of personal health information by doctors, hospitals, pharmacists and other healthcare providers; • Gives you the right to request access to your own health records from your healthcare provider; • Gives you the right to determine how your personal health information can be used; • Gives you the right to request corrections to your health records if the information is inaccurate. If you believe that any individual or organization that provides you with healthcare is not following the rules of PHIPA, you may complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner. For more information: Call our INFOline at 1-800-461-2036 TTY: 1-800-387-5559 Visit: www.health.gov.on.ca — I- IIIII NMI ------- 1 Q Ontario