The Difficult Jobs Of Judge And Jury

citizen news, Pickton, serial killer, prostitutes, brothels, legalization, murder, slain

Courtroom sketch by Felicity Don.

I wound up in jail with an attempted murder charge. At the time, it felt like no big deal until I heard the Crown ask for a 15 - 16 year sentence.

By Citizen Correspondent Pauline VanKoll , Canada

Date Posted: 11/28/07

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It must be strenuous to be judge and jury, yet it's the best thing one could do as a citizen for this province and country. To have to take in and understand all the evidence - personal effects from the missing women, DNA, statements from witnesses (professional and personal), audio and video recordings, the copious amounts of binders filled with testimonies, pictures, CDs et cetera - is inconceivable.

First, a recap: The Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP started an investigation in 2001 with a group called ‘Even Handed’ run by Cst. Don Adams, who was the first witness to testify in the trial.

They were actively investigating the disappearances of the missing women of the Downtown Eastside. A tip from witness Scott Chubbs, who worked on the Pickton farm for some time, led the Coquitlam RCMP to Pickton's property on Dominion Avenue in 2002 to investigate illegal firearms.

When the police entered the property they found evidence, not only relating to the firearms, but also came across items of interest to project Even Handed - personal effects of Serena Abbotsway. That’s when Even Handed retained its own warrant for the Dominion Avenue property. Robert Pickton was taken to the ground, handcuffed and arrested, yet released the following afternoon.

A search of the property involved 270 full-time employees, which included police and civilian personnel. The investigation included the property in which Robert was residing at on Dominion Avenue and also the property on Burns Road. A thorough investigation of the property was active from 2002 to 2003.

After further evidence linked Robert Pickton to Serena Abotsway and Mona Wilson, he was again taken into custody and held in a cell with an undercover police officer. While he was held in custody, he indicated with a hand gesture the number of women he killed.

The jury has to decide whether his statements in that cell were true without a reasonable doubt, or if he was acting "tough" to "fit in" as Pickton’s Defence lawyer claims.

Defence also worked to discredit Lynn Ellingsen about what she said she saw hanging in the barn - Pickton with a dead body.