Judge refuses to throw out Tho ii,-i,,n,,,t 5-imhpir 97 205 - A3 By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion Onice ac-ain. l _justice nIibe pex. e bias re.;ected al mooxn foii chairges 10 be dropped n a ilg piý,-it ohle liee cuittilng case resultrng hrim flic clearing iîf tiees (in file MiltonflOakxillk border. Dehence laisver Daxl id Crockeî 's argumeint xxas the case hîad beeîî betore the court for trio hou,,g J ust oser 1550 years -denyitîg bis client's night to a trial xx ithin a reai siînable period (if fimie. But Justice of the Peace Jerry Woloschuk didn't buy it at the day- long court appearance ut Ontarioî Provincial Offences Court i Burlington Friday. Subtracting delays attributabir lii the defence. încludîng a vacationi taken by the defendant. Justice Woloscbuk sajd he tound the -insîtînîjonal delay- iii be abiout 1II lii 1l months, not the altiîsî 201 mîînîbs prex îously suggesîed by Mr. Crocker .îfter îakînz it accounlt their delax s. -Ten iii h1 inoii'is is ahlongCulie. but it*s xx ithîn al ireasotîable) lime Irarne due 10 the coxiîplexîty (oîf tîe case i and change of couneil, be s.iid. referritîg ti Mr. Crocker's îak- ine oxer the case frîîn .inîîîhi laxxyer in laie 2W53. Be added al lack oh ju.stices ofi tbe peace ni tbe area. specîliîcal> i Filton. has definitely added iii the "Ten to Il months is a long dîne, but it's within a (reasonable) time frame due to the complexity (of the case) and change of council."9 JU8TIU Of THE PEE lengtb of the trial, wîtb lînîîted court timie avaîlable. Ai the previons cuîurt appearatice Septembeicr 19, Mr. Crocker argued bis client, Burltington resîdent Geoîrge Vastis. bad sutlered per- siiial prejudice duîe tii tbe lengtb of, tbe trial. Mc. Cruieker tîled a Cbarter iiîotiin requesting the 12 Iree cul- tiiig charges agatust Mr. Vastis be stayed due tii alleged late dîsclo- sure by tbe Crîîwn atnd -institution- aI limitattonis.' Sîîîce Ibece ixere als> 22 identi- cal charges againsi l a inbered coriipaiîy of' xx bîcb Mr. Vastis is pcesideni. the trial xx uuldlxe cn- îînued e, eii il hall tbe charges, had bet îîrdered driipped. Ibis is uIc secuond lun1e Ibis year M i. ('rîcker- bias reqîîesîed thaI chai Ces be îiîrîxx' ut. li Jaîuacy, lic secs cd a moniîî reqîiesîiig al stiay iii )1 iceeditigs. citiîg a lack ofi disclosute by tbe ('rîmu. Il ivas ccîjected iii Maty. Mc. Vaslîs was presetît for jusi a slîîri finie Vrîday. leavîîg afler be xxas excused tii be xx'îîl bis nîîther. xciii suthered al strîîke tbe iîiglît betîîre. Mr. Vastis lîad testîfied ai bis pre- viîîîs appearance that tbe case bad taken al toll on bis physîcal and mental liealtb. and bad destroyed sortie persîuial relattonsbips as a result oif tbe many media reports. But Justice Woloscbuk said there was no proof Mr. Vaxtis's personal and bealtb problems resultcd specîftcally from the delay in tbe trial and nîlt the case in general. despite lus passîuînate acciîunt lrîîm the xxitness stanîd. T1here's little credtbility that aIl bts ailments are due to the lengtb of' the trial." Justice Wolîîschuk saîd, adding "The court bas lîttle cînîrîîl luxer xvbat the media reports.' A letter truir one uof Mr. Vastîss', bealtb practîtîlîners shoxxed bc*d started suttering frit neck aiid shiiulder pain as early as I1998, cliîn lucard. Aîîd al letter triîm Mc. Vastis's cbirîipcaciiîr clinuluded tuucb il see AREA on page Al18 FRsA SE" 30 FIA 200 INEM I IRNC *~ Bu B Alue-4 Bf *Cala - 1Lf 1500K -D MA LirSre a -1Lf Pontiacon 06 1 e *Ie (5-Speed) - 1 Left a