Crown Drops Four Charges Against Political Prisoner Brad Love
FORT MCMURRAY, July 13, 2015. A letter from the Crown prosecutor received by Brad Love today announced that four charges pf breach of probation have been dropped.
The charges related to Mr. Love having contacted four different Edmonton journalists by phone or letter. All write for papers who invite reader comment. The charges were based on a reading of Judge Kelly Wright’s incredible probation conditions
The charges were four counts of breach of probation [Sec. 733.1] involving communication in Edmonton, November 13, November 24, 2014 and January 7 and 8, 2015, with unnamed media in Edmonton. “Being bound by a probation order dated the 13 day of July, 2012, [Mr. Love] did without reasonable excuse, fail or refuse to comply with the order in that he failed top abstain from any political speech, correspondence, communication or commentary with any media outlet.” Yes, that bail condition was actually imposed by Ontario Judge Kelly Wright, not by some judge in Cuba or North Korea.
What’s quoted in the charge is not exactly what Judge Wright said. I was there. She ordered: “Mr. Love is to refrain from any political speech or commentary to any media outlet, political, cultural or religious group or organization, or police organization.”
Mr. Love has been battling for 13 years to secure his right to write to the press and public officials and has served over 32 months in prison in that time for nothing more than the non-violent expression, through letters to public officials or the press, of his political opinions.
He still faces charges in Fort McMurray, October 26, for having breached his probation. These accusations of “breach of probation” stem from his having a discussion with a journalist at a winter fair,and calling the RCMP to find out if there’d been any developments in the case of a Pakistani woman who flew back to Alberta with illegal insecticide and ended up killing two of her children inadvertently.
As well, he faces one count for allegedly uttering threats in a casual conversation with other workers. The alleged threat was not directed at any of the workers. Fort Mac, Brad reports, is rife with police informers and envious people, most of them White sadly enough, eager to do each other harm.– Paul Fromm