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GIBBONS SENTENCED TO FOUR MONTHS ON LATEST CONVICTIONS

TORONTO, April 17, 2001 (LSN.ca) - Veteran pro-life demonstrator and counsellor Linda Gibbons has been sentenced to four months in jail and two years' probation, in addition to two months already served in custody, on her latest convictions relating to charges stemming from pro-life activities inside bubble zones at Toronto abortuaries. Gibbons was arrested and charged with obstructing police and breaching terms of probation on Feb. 13 after walking and praying while holding a placard outside the Scott Clinic abortuary on Gerrard Street East.

Gibbons, as usual, remained mute throughout the court proceedings, not even nodding acknowledgement when questioned by the judge. New York-based lawyer John Broderick entered a not guilty plea on her behalf, but accepted the facts of the case as laid out by the Crown. Broderick then made an eloquent appeal during the sentencing hearing, noting that many people of conscience peacefully broke laws during their struggles against such evils as slavery and racism. Several of Gibbons's acquaintances and friends then took the stand to testify as character witnesses.

In his ruling, the judge noted that Gibbons was "going to have to suffer the consequences" of demonstrating illegally at abortuaries when she was free to make her views known legally through other means. He imposed six-month concurrent terms on each of the two charges, including time served, and ordered her to stay at least 100 metres away from three Toronto abortuaries during a two-year probation term.

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