By Tony Gosgnach
TORONTO, February 6, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Linda Gibbons has received formal notification that the Crown attorney’s office is appealing her last court case, in which a judge quashed a criminal charge of disobeying a court order against her. Justice John C. Moore said on Jan. 12 that it was “simple” to quash the charge, since a 1994 “temporary” court injunction restricting pro-life activity around the Scott “Clinic” abortion site was pronounced in a civil, not criminal, court.
“Why use criminal modes to deal with civil matters?” Moore had asked. “There are rules for civil matters and there are rules for criminal matters. They are separate and apart … We can’t drive into criminal court everyone who disobeys a court order.”
That explanation does not seem to have been enough for the Ontario Crown attorney’s office, however. Under NDP, Liberal and Conservative governments it has been hounding Gibbons in the courts for 15 years for basically praying and walking back and forth in front of the Scott site. The Crown usually charges her with obstructing a peace officer, but last Sept. 30, Justice S. Ford Clements called the bluff by ruling that Gibbons’s silent, peaceful and acquiescent conduct with police could not be interpreted as obstructing a peace officer and thereupon acquitted her of the charge.
Gibbons is currently in custody on new charges of obstructing a peace officer (again) and mischief to property after she appeared outside the Scott site Jan. 20. An onlooker said at no time did he see anything that could constitute mischief and suggested it was a concocted charge.
Gibbons is to have a hearing by video to set a trial date on those charges at 9 a.m. on Feb. 17 in Room 505 of the Ontario Court of Justice at College Park in Toronto.
See related LifeSiteNews reports:
See LifeSiteNews’ special “Linda Gibbons, Prisoner of Conscience” web page
https://www.lifesitenews.com/gibbons/
Gibbons freed from custody after judge quashes charge
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jan/09011214.html
Legal Merry-Go-Round Continues as Gibbons is Arrested Again
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jan/09012014.html
Pro-Life Veteran Linda Gibbons Arrested Again Outside Toronto Abortion Mill
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/may/08051508.html
Canadian Pro-life Hero Linda Gibbons’ Trial Commences
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/sep/08091104.html