By Thaddeus M. Baklinski
VANCOUVER, October 15, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The trial of Don Spratt and Cecilia (Sissy) von Dehn, charged with breeching the Access to Abortion Services Act in June 2009, is set to continue March 16th 2011, after presiding judge Jeanne E. Watchuck found the four days set aside in BC Provincial Court, Oct 4-7 2010, proved to be insufficient to hear all the testimony.
The BC Access to Abortion Services Act forbids any counseling against abortion to be given within 50 metres of an abortion mill, however, Spratt and von Dehn were not counseling against abortion in the bubble zone, but merely informing people of the legislation.
Both were arrested in the unmarked bubble-zone of the downtown Vancouver abortuary, Everywoman's Health Center, for wearing signage informing passersby of the existence of the bubble zone and handing out copies of the Act, in protest of the legislation.
At the time of her arrest, Von Dehn commented how surprised she was that she had been arrested.
“Police assured me on two occasions that carrying these same Bubble Zone notice signs was within our rights and in no way infringed on the Bubble Zone legislation. It was quite a shock to be hauled off to jail for notifying passersby of a BC law.”
The pro-lifers had earlier in 2008 and 2009 been in the same zone with the same signage identifying the bubble zone and passing out the related Access to Abortion Services Act legislation to the public. On each occasion Vancouver Police attended and assured them that there was no breech of the Act by informing the public of the legislation.
John Hof, President of Campaign Life Coalition BC, told LifeSiteNews that lawyers Ron McDonald of Lethbridge Alberta, acting for Donald Spratt and Douglas Christie of Victoria BC, acting for Cecilia von Dehn, cross-examined the four arresting officers and a witness for the Crown, filmmaker John Hetherington who had video-taped the arrests of Spratt and von Dehn. Hetherington was arrested at the same time but released soon after without being charged.
Ms J Foley, Executive Director of Everywoman's Health Centre, was also cross-examined and in her testimony denied any knowledge of the previous incidents of Spratt and von Dehn protesting in the bubble zone.
The abortion clinic security logs confirming the earlier occasions and related Vancouver Police Department Incident Reports were entered as evidence.
Foley was directed by the Crown to return to the stand in March, 2011.
Hof indicated that he believes more witnesses are likely to be called before final arguments can be presented.
See previous LSN coverage:
Two Arrested Inside Vancouver Abortion Facility Bubble Zone NOT Speaking About Abortion
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jun/09061910.html
Developing Story: Two Released after Being Arrested in Vancouver for Protesting Bubble-Zone Law
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/jun/09062201.html