Thursday, May 20, 2010

Victoria Stafford ban could be appealed to SCoC

An extension of a sweeping publication ban on the court proceedings in the murder of eight-year-old Victoria Stafford continues to “muzzle” the media, making it impossible to update the public on an abduction and killing that distressed the nation, a lawyer said on Wednesday after an emotional court hearing. “Eventually we will be able to say something,” said Iain MacKinnon, representing a coalition of several media outlets, including the National Post. “For now, we’re being muzzled. It is pretty extreme.” At an April 30 hearing — scheduled to involve Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, one of two accused in the murder and kidnapping of Tori Stafford — Judge Dougald McDermid imposed a widely criticized publication ban that prevented almost all reporting of the proceedings. On Tuesday, Judge McDermid heard lengthy arguments to alter the ban. Late on Wednesday, he delivered his decision orally.

That decision, however, cannot be disclosed because, immediately afterwards, a lawyer in the room — it cannot be reported who the lawyer represents — stood up and advised that he intended to seek leave to appeal the order to the Supreme Court of Canada.

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