Criminal defense lawyers are appalled that Immigration Minister Chris Alexander publicly said a man murdered his wife, before the man is to be tried in the courts. In Canada, a person is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty and that is constitutionally guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms section 11(d). Journalists are very careful to use the word “accused” and “suspect” when discussing crime cases before and during trials.
“Not much more than one year ago, she was killed – 48 stab wounds – by her husband, (RCI has deleted the name to preserve the accused’s right to a fair trial) who had been in this country only for a few months, sponsored by her,” Alexander told a news conference in Toronto.
“While what he did is clearly a crime, among the gravest crimes that can be committed and that he is facing the full consequences of the law for murder, this was also a barbaric cultural practice in that he felt that he had been dishonoured by her ability to be independent.”
“Absolutely wrong…unacceptable”
“It is absolutely wrong,” said Bill Trudell, chairman of the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers. “This type of comment by any Canadian, and by any minister, is unacceptable.”
Trudell said the remarks display a lack of respect for the criminal justice system and amount to political meddling with the courts on behalf of the (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper government.
This is not the first time the current government has been accused of disrespect for the judiciary. Canadian lawyers and an international panel of jurists demanded the prime minister apologize to the chief justice of the Supreme Court for comments he made about her conduct. The prime minister did not apologize.
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