Protesters parade through city
National movement objects to jury's acquittal in Gladue case
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Protesters took to city streets last week in outrage over the acquittal of the man accused of killing an aboriginal sex worker in Alberta.
Protesters march through the city last Thursday as part of a national movement in response to a not guilty verdict in a controversial Alberta case. Bradley Barton was acquitted of first degree murder in the death of Cindy Gladue, a sex worker, by a jury in an Alberta court last month, but the Crown has appealed the decision. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo |
An Edmonton jury acquitted Bradley Barton in Cindy Gladue's death last month after a month-long trial for first-degree murder and manslaughter.
The woman died of massive bleeding but Barton insisted the sex was consensual.
The case drew national controversy and protests around the country, not only for the acquittal but the judge's decision to allow a portion of the 36-year-old's body - Gladue's pelvic area - as evidence in the trial.
"It's truly a horrible thing to have happened," said Kim Kameemalik, who attended the protest on Thursday.
Kameemalik said use of the body part in the trial exemplifies the dehumanization aboriginal women in Canada face.
The Alberta Crown prosecutor's office has since appealed the jury's decision.
"Juries sometimes get it wrong," said Gail Cyr, who is seeking the Liberal nomination for NWT seat this fall's federal election.
"Perhaps they weren't instructed properly. (Barton) indicated that they were having sex and it was rough sex. Well, it would have had to have been really rough."
About two dozen protesters carried signs and marched through Yellowknife with a police escort during last week's protest.
Charlotte Overvold, who organized the protest, repeatedly called, "Have you seen my sister?" during the march.
She organized the protest to speak out against the treatment of aboriginal women as stereotypes.
"We're here gathered as Northerners to say this isn't OK," said Overvold. "We have a voice and we're using it to speak up for the people who have gone silent. Cindy is not only an indigenous woman but she is a daughter, she is a sister."
She said the jury's decision doesn't make sense.
"There is no reason why he should be allowed to walk free after the horrific details of Cindy's death," said Overvold.
Many in the protest carried signs supporting an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women.
"This is not on (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper's agenda," said Kameemalik. "It's got to change. There are too many cases going unsolved."
