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Huron Expositor, 2007-02-07, Page 10News Cameras permitted in courtroom as Truscott's appeal begins Ian Robertson Steven Truscott entered Osgoode Hall law courts Wednesday under the glare of camera lights, nervous but ready for the appeal of his 48 - year -old murder conviction. Surrounded by reporters and photographers, Truscott, wife Marlene, along with two of their three adult children, walked slowly along a snow- covered walk. Inside, proceedings were televised on the first day of an Ontario Court of Appeal hearing Truscott has sought since emerging from his almost -secret life in Guelph in 2000. It was the first time cam- eras were permitted in the court. "If the exoneration is there, it's all been worth it," Truscott told a crush of jour- nalists. "We're quite confident," he said of support from family, friends and groups, such as the Association for the Defence of the Wrongfully Convicted. Truscott was 14 when a jury convicted him in 1959 of the rape and murder that June of schoolmate Lynne Harper, 12, in the Royal Canadian Air Force base that is today known as the com- munity of Vanastra. Originally ordered to hang, the term was commuted to a life sentence. Truscott was paroled in 1969. He changed his name and moved to Guelph, working as a millwright. Defence lawyer James Lockyer told the court he will argue that prosecu- tors withheld evi- dence at the trial and at a 1966 Supreme Court of Canada appeal — which was denied. A jury found Truscott guilty based on "fallacies that have come to light now," he said. "If all that material had been before the court in 1959 ... rather than being sen- tenced to death he would have more likely been set free," Lockyer said, admitting the "passage of time has cre- ated many significant obsta- cles," including the deaths of witnesses and investigators plus the destruction of all physical evidence. Lockyer said Truscott's life- long desire for exoneration was heightened in 1998, when he first got into files on his case at the Ontario Archives. Lockyer and his team told the justices that rules of evi- dence have changed over the last 20 years to require all prosecuting evidence be dis- closed to defence lawyers "in the interest of fairness." Defence lawyer Philip Campbell joked with Ontario Chief Justice Roy McMurtry about the irony of arguing fairness since it was the judge in 1979 who wrote a key legal brief rec- ommending prose- cutors be more forthright in releas- ing evidence to defence counsels. Defence lawyer Marlys Edwardh said the OPP probe was based on the teen being prejudged and alleged some officers with- held witness statements that would refute damning evi- dence. Two boys claimed they saw Truscott and Harper during a key period that opposed other witnesses about the time before she was reportedly killed, but an officer wrote he wouldn't use the statements, Edwardh said. The defence lawyers said their appeal is largely based - on discrepancies over the time Harper vanished and died. The process leading to pro- ceedings began when then - federal justice minister Irwin Cotler decided Truscott was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. Steven Truscott Firefighting 'in the blood' for both Sills and Phillips families From Page 3 there," says Sills, adding that when his chil- dren were teens, every call to an accident meant facing the possibility that he could find his own children there. "One night we were going to a car accident and we knew there was a big teen party in the area. We were all thinking about our own kids but nobody was talking about it until after. There was a huge sigh of relief when we got there," says Sills. "You hate to think you'd ever harden to it but it's a job you have to do. You have to face unpleasant situations and treat them profes- sionally," he says. No matter how many times or at what hour the fire alarm sounds, both veterans agree they're still filled with adrenaline and ready to go. "It's just in the blood - when the whistle goes, you respond. No matter how tired you are, you seem to be able to get up and go," says Sills. He says his wife Anne has been a great help over the years, getting his boots and jacket ready and handing him the truck keys on the way out the door. "It takes two," agrees Phillips about the importance of a firefighter's wife and family. Phillips adds that his lifelong friendship with Sills has also added to their ability to succeed as firefighters. "You've got to know what the other guy's thinking and if you go down, you've got to know the other guy will pull you out," he says. "When push comes to shove, we've been there for each other - it's always been that way," says Phillips. Neither Sills nor Phillips are talking about retiring from the department any time soon. "As long as our health holds, both of us will stay on as long as we can. We've enjoyed every damned day of it," says Phillips. The Huron Expositor • February 7, 2007 Page 9 �•Y NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WEST WAWANOSH MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the Company will be held at the: LUCKNOW COMMUNITY CENTRE On Friday, March 2nd, 2007 AT2:OOP.M. 1. To receive, consider and approve the Financial Statement and Auditor's Report for the year ended December 31st, 2006. 2. To appoint auditors. 3. To elect two (2) Directors for a three-year term. 4. To transact any other business that may properly come before the meeting. The retiring Directors are Barry Millian of the Huron/Perth designated area and Bob Hallam, Director At Large. Barry Millian is eligible for re-election. Any qualifying policyholder wishing to run as a Director for these areas must file their intention to run, in writing, along with a nomination form, with the Corporate Secretary or designate, no later than close of business, February 16th, 2007. By order of the Board of Directors, West Wawanosh Mutual Insurance Company, Dungannon, Ontario Cathie Simpson Corporate Secretary Church Services You are invited to attend these area churches St. Thomas Anglican Church A Congregation of die Parch of The Hay Sprit Jarvis St. Seaforth 527-1522 Rector The Rev'd Sue Malpus M Div Sunday. February 11 WORSHIP AT 9:30 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL & NURSERY AT 9:30 AM f v.'yo^r. WP,Cen- Fieclor s Coffee Hours Tuesdays 9-11 am St. James Roman Catholic Church Welcomes you 14 Victoria Street, Seaforth 527-0142 Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm Sun. 11:00 am Fr. Chris Gillespie Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982 Sunday School 9:45 am Sunday Worship 11:00 am B&G Club Wed. 7:00 - 8:15 pm Youth Activities Wed. 7:00 pm Pastor Mark Kennedy EVERYONE WELCOME Egmondville United Church Pastor Steve Hildebrand Sunday, February 11 WORSHIP 11 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL 10AM "CAKE WALK" Friday Feb. 9, 7:30pm NORTHSIDE UNITED CHURCH 54 Goderich St. W. Rev. John Gould Sunday February 11th Worship 11am Sermon: 'Theology & Ecology Of A Small Planet" All Welcome. Sunday School & Nursery During Worship First Presbyterian Church Goderich St. W., Seaforth Rev. Henry Huberts Sunday/February 11 11:15 am service Guest Minister Gale TUmbull Sunday School & Nursery Provided.