Ontario Community Newspapers

"Eagles Nest occupation trial ends, two found guilty - called 'scapegoats'", p. 2

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Occupation trial ends for two men (Continued from front page) Henderson told the men they should consider an appeal. Henderson said more than 75 people were seen in and around the building and Six Nations police said they originally planned to charge 19 people but settle on only six. Trevor Doxtater, 29, was sentenced in Ontario court (provincial division) to six months probation and ordered to perform 30 hours of community service. Richard "Dick" Hill, 50, was given a suspended sentence and six months probation. He was ordered to make a charitable donation of $200 to Ganohkwa Sra, a local women's shelter. In passing the sentence Judge Gethin Edwards said the donation would help Hill "gain back some of the community's respect." But Dick Hill said at Six Nations, "we don't buy respect with money." He said he will ask the centre for a receipt reading "$200 worth of respect, paid." Hill said he saw the whole issue as scapegoating. "It was clear somebody had to be the scapegoat for it. I guess that was me." Charges of theft and mischief against Hazel Hill were dropped for a lack of evidence. Hill, later told Turtle Island News, "People have always told me my cooking was bad, but I was never charged for it before." Hill maintained she was not involved in the occupation and only volunteered food to those inside. Court was told that more than 75 people occupied the offices in the complex between August 25 and Oct. 14, 1995 that is owned by the Six Nations Band Council and was rented to Indian Affairs. The occupation came to a peaceful end when an agreement was signed between the occupiers and the elected band council. Witnesses told the court that equipment was stolen, walls were littered with graffiti, doors had been taken off hinges and locked confidential files were viewed and some were stolen. INAC official Katheryn Knott told the court the building "was totally trashed." Six Nations Band Council claimed the net loss of the rental income totaled $390,000. Court was told that on the morning of Aug. 30 about 10 people arrived at the southern district office and told employees it was Mohawk property and ordered them out and then refused to let anyone enter. Six Nations police set up a surveillance camera across the street from the office that showed Hill and Doxtater going in and out of the building several times a day for two weeks. It also showed Hill receiving documents from others coming out of the building. Judge Gethin Edward said that none of the evidence against Hill or Doxtater indicated they did any damage to the building and Hill's statement on a TV tape played at the trial could be seen simply as an expression of sympathy for the occupiers. But, he said the "frequency with which they entered the building proved they participated in the occupation." Edward, a descendant of Joseph Brant told the defenders they were not the only ones who wish for changes. "In my opinion we have made strides in our native community," he told them. "Those strides may not be in the direction you would wish to see," he said, "and you have the right to your opinion." But that right, he said "must be tempered by the rights of other citizens." Edwards said he was particularly concerned with the viewing of confidential documents. He said people have the right to provide information to government with the trust that it will remain secret. Hill said after the trial that contrary to what Judge Edwards suggested that the charitable donation would not give him back some respect from the community. "We had respect for what we did. In our community respect is not bought with the dollar." The decision came after a day-long trial at Ontario Court, general division, Monday. Hazel Hill told the court that she, Dick Hill and Trevor Doxtater were appearing in the court "under duress." Both Hazel Hill and Dick Hill refused to enter a plea when told the trial would proceed. Hill told the court it has no jurisdiction at Six Nations. The court entered not guilty pleas on their behalf. Doxtater pleaded not guilty. The court said Doxtater was seen at the site 13 times on video surveillance cameras while Hill was spotted 14 times. INAC employees Doug Forbes, Kathy Hill and Allan Razlack appeared in court along with, Sgt. Rocky Smith and Const. Darrel Martin and Six Nations Commercial leasing employee Chuck Burnham and former band council chief, Steve Williams. Kathy Hill told the court she did not see either Hazel or Dick Hill at the site, Hazel Hill told Turtle Island News she was glad the issue has been resolved. "I don't believe they had enough grounds to charge us with anything. Even the duty council said we were the scapegoats in the situation. There was well over 75 people that were in and around the building during the occupation." She said Judge Gethin Edwards was in a "precarious position. Even Chuck Burnham told the court, Dick (Hill) got there after the fact. Chuck (Burnham) said Dick (Hill) arrived after he did and he went over and asked Dick (Hill) what was going on and Dick (Hill) told him "I'll let you know as soon as I know." Const. Darryl Martin told the court originally Six Nations police had planned to serve 18 or 19 people with charges but decided on only six. Martin couldn't give the court a reason why the others weren't charged. Steve Williams, told the court he first saw Dick Hill at the Glebe lands being interviewed by Turtle Island News and the Brantford Expositor, the day the occupation began. Sgt. Rocky Smith told the court that at "no time during the course of the occupation did I see Hazel (Hill), Dick (Hill) or Trevor (Doxtater) prevent anyone from entering the building."

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