Ipperwash protester jailed

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Anger and resentment were still the dominant emotions at Camp Ipperwash just days after the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of Warren George.

The 27-year-old began his six-month jail sentence on May 18 in Sarnia's maximum security facility before being transferred to Guelph's medium security Wellington County facility on May 31.

George was charged with criminal negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle and assault with a weapon (motor vehicle).

The resident of Aazhoodenaang (Stoney Point), the occupied former CFB Ipperwash, located about a half-hour's drive north of Sarnia, was charged in connection with his actions on the tragic night of Sept. 6, 1995. On that night, Acting Sgt. Kenneth Deane shot and killed Dudley George, another Stoney Pointer and Warren George's second cousin during a peaceful protest at Ipperwash Provincial Park. Deane was eventually convicted of criminal negligence causing death. He was sentenced to 180 hours of community service and remains on the job.

Warren George told the trial judge that he drove a vehicle out of Ipperwash Provincial Park in an attempt to scatter the police who were pounding Kettle and Stoney Point band councillor Cecil George with clubs. When OPP Sgt. Lacroix stood in the middle of the road and aimed his weapon at the vehicle, George said he ducked down behind the dashboard to avoid being shot. His car swerved into the ditch at a low rate of speed and struck and injured a police officer. Minutes after, police officers opened fire on the protesters, killing Dudley George and injuring one other male.

The trial turned on whether Warren George intended to hit the officers with the car or not. The trial judge ruled he intended to scatter the officers and therefore was driving in a way designed to threaten them and thus intended to hit them if they didn't move.

George specifically denied that was the case, but the judge didn't believe him.

Lawyer Michael Code, acting for George, asked the appeal court to rule that his client's version of events wasn't that hard to believe. The appeal judges refused to consider the argument.

They also rejected an argument that Warren George's actions were justified because the police were using excessive force in apprehending Cecil George, who suffered serious injuries as a result of the incident.

The court also rejected a claim that the protesters were in peaceable possession of the park and used only reasonable force to protect their property against tresspass by the tactical unit.

During an interview at the occupied army camp on May 31, Warren George, Sr., the father of the convicted man, told Windspeaker the family will appeal the conviction.

"He'll be out of jail by the time that happens," he said, angrily. "He'll be out by the end of August, but we're still going to pursue it.

The Stoney Pointers can't believe that Deane received what Warren George's uncle, Glenn George, a key figure in the Stoney Point occupation, called a "paid vacation" for wrongfully killing Dudley George while Warren George was sent to jail.

"He was acting out of defence, just like the people here are living," Glenn George said.

Dudley George's brother, Pierre, slammed the decision.

"It's a totally racist decision," he said. "It's just like Leonard Peltier with the FBI, eh? Somebody's gotta pay."