Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 1, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba a6 Winnipeg free press wednesday november 1, 2006 Manitoba the Driskell inquiry rancher returns to find horses starving to death vets run tests May seek investigation by a Friend that the Man put in charge by Matt Goerzen of his horses had a reputation for not feeding his own animals properly a Belmont area rancher returned something Draper was unaware of from three months of cancer when he left for Calgary. Treatment in Calgary to find his after returning to Manitoba drap Favourite horse left in the care of a or dropped by to pick up his horses Neighbour near death by Maul utri monday night especially his beloved Tion. Baby girl who a likeness is tattooed on veterinarians at Brandon a grand his forearm. Valley animal clinic Are doing tests to he said what he found made him sick decide whether to recommend a for to his stomach. Mal investigation that could Lead to two of the younger horses penned criminal charges. Yesterday they con in with the Neighbours own horses ducted blood tests on a three year old were in Good shape. Mare named baby girl who was in Par the 16-year-old Mare was very thin titular by bad condition and lying in the but still standing. Front of owner Greg drapers horse but his Favourite Little Mare was near trailer. Death and lying on fresh Straw. Only to fall Back confirmed the horse had not been fed. She a in terrible shape said one vet i was so mad at him i could to say a the horses hair was covered in they both said its the worst Case of who did not wish to be identified word to him said Draper. Burrs and grass and her hips and ribs starvation they be Ever seen. They said its going to be an Uphill Battle. Once he kept chuckling saying i Don to showed. Probably if you can keep her eating a horse goes Down its very bad know what a wrong with her. Even if it Draper said there is a very real Dan and warm its a 50-50 Chance of obviously was an act of god it should have been Ger of her internal organs shutting Vivalis you can do All Draper a 46-year-old cattle rancher taken care of. Horses Don to lose that Down because of her malnourished the Secretary at the animal clinic and horse breeder had just returned much weight Over time on their own. State. Said the veterinarians could not com from Calgary where he had undergone you be got to be responsible. Reasons i she a not doing Good. She a about 800 ment whether there would be a formal three months of intense treatment for can buy but excuses i be never been pounds right now. A horse this age investigation until the test results came prostate cancer. Big should be carrying 1,200 to 1,600. Back and the owner was informed pos since August four of his horses were Draper took All four animals and there a absolutely nothing to her. This Sibly today or later this week. In the care of a Neighbour Only a few rushed them to the clinic the next Day. Thoroughly Breaks my minutes away from his farm. During the veterinary examination Draper said the veterinarians who earlier this month he had been told baby girl tried to get up several times inspected the animal later on in the Day. maligned police crowns have say stakes Are High at Driskell inquiry by Dan Lett the police and prosecutors involved in the wrongful conviction of James Driskell fought Back tuesday against allegations they failed in their most Basic duties and responsibilities to the Justice system. Following a stinging rebuke monday from Michael code the inquiry a chief counsel lawyers representing everyone from the investigating police officers to police Laboratory analysts and the front line prosecutors had their Chance to con Vince inquiry commissioner Patrick Lesage their clients did no wrong. The stakes Are High at this stage of the inquiry. Lesage has been Given the Power to recommend criminal investigation or professional review for any of the police and prosecutors involved in the Case. Robert Tapper counsel representing former assistant Deputy minister Stu Whitley said after looking at All the Evi Dence Given at the inquiry it would be reasonable to conclude his client was barely involved in the Driskell prosecution. Tapper instead pointed to former director of prosecutions Bruce Miller As the principal Contact in Manitoba jus Tice for negotiations on witness compensation and relocation. Whitley a Busy Man who had Many responsibilities with in the department had every reason to believe that Miller was handling witness issues appropriately and sharing All information with George Dangerfield and Greg Lawlor the trial prosecutors. Or. Whitley was not merely on the Periphery of this Case but was essentially not involved Tapper said. Tapper also lambasted commission counsel Michael code for his criticisms of Whitley. On monday Michael code the inquiry a chief counsel delivered harsh words for almost All of the play ers in the Driskell investigation and prosecution including Whitley. Code said one of the most egregious episodes in the Driskell Case was the fail ure of Whitley to intervene when it was Clear the prosecutions Branch had failed to disclose critical new evidence that arose after conviction but before Appeal. In my submission the Only thing that was egregious was or. Codes submission Tapper said. Driskell was convicted in 1990 and served 12 years in prison before he was freed As wrongfully convicted. Lawyer Kim Carswell who is representing the Winnipeg police service cautioned Lesage against using too much Hindsight when judging police involved in the Case. Carswell said there Are new rules for disclosure of evidence to the defence and new structures and techniques used by the Winnipeg police service to Man age major crime cases. While it would be very easy for us to stand Here and judge the actions of the individuals by the standards of today i submit it would be entirely unfair to do so Carswell said. In Many instances the final submissions were another Opportunity for participants to Point fingers at each other. Doug Abra counsel representing the estate of Miller accused the Winnipeg police service of deliberately conceal ing information about a secret immunity Deal officers negotiated for a key Crown witness. Those officers testified earlier it was Miller who devised a plan to keep details of the immunity from the witness so that it would to have to be disclosed to the defence. Abra said it was unreasonable to believe that a lawyer of Millers reputation would Ever agree to such a danger Ous plan. I submit to you with respect there is no Way you should accept that Abra said. Clearly they the police were not being truthful with the inquiry also heard tuesday from David Gates counsel representing the ramp which was involved in the Driskell Case on a number of fronts. Ramp lab analysts provided hair com Parison evidence that was later proved to be faulty through Dan testing. Gates told Lesage that the analyst Todd Christianson performed his duties and offered opinions based on his work that were consistent with the professional standards of others working with microscopic hair analysis in the Early 1990s. ;