John Moore: An Innocent Aboriginal Man Still Fighting for Justice and Freedom

This media release was sent out today about an event in Ottawa about the struggle for justice of John Moore, an Ojibway man living in Sudbury:

JOHN MOORE: AN INNOCENT ABORIGINAL MAN STILL FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE AND FREEDOM IN CANADA

Justice and Freedom for John C. Moore invites you to a press conference and support rally June 10th, 2009, from 2 pm - 3 pm at the Human Rights Monument, corner of Elgin and Lisgar Streets, Ottawa (In case of rain it will be held in the Canadian Union of Postal Workers boardroom, 377 Bank Street.)

JOHN MOORE: AN INNOCENT ABORIGINAL MAN WRONGFULLY CONVICTED

John Moore is an Ojibway man from Serpent River First Nation (near Sault Ste. Marie) who spent 10 years (from 1978 to 1988) in Millhaven Penitentiary for a murder he did not commit. John Moore was convicted of 2nd degree murder in 1978 under a law which was repealed in 1987. The evidence against John was entirely circumstantial and hearsay. The same evidence for which he spent time in jail would no longer stand up in a court of law.

Institutionalized racism was a key factor leading to his false conviction by an all-white jury. His wrongful conviction continues to follow him today as he reports to a parole officer on a monthly basis and must be granted permission to leave the city of Sudbury, Ontario. This is impeding his freedom of movement and capacity to find meaningful work. John has repeatedly asked for a judicial review of his case, and for exoneration, but these requests have been ignored. He is now taking his struggle for justice to Ottawa on June 10th.

At the media conference speakers will demonstrate once again how our justice system has convicted an innocent man. As stated in similar cases by the Supreme Court of Canada, there is a very realistic potential of racial prejudice in our criminal justice system. Because of institutionalized racism in the criminal justice system John Moore never received a fair trial.

CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS: JURY OF ONE'S PEERS

According to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms a person is to be tried by a jury of their peers. However, in both of Moore's trials he was convicted by an all White member jury. Both trials took place in Sault Ste. Marie, in the Algoma District. There are over 30 First Nations communities in the Algoma District and three First Nations communities within in the city limits, yet there was not a single First Nations person on the two juries that convicted Moore. As a First Nations man John Moore was not tried by a jury of my peers.

DNA EXTRACTION CONFIRMS INNOCENCE

On November 14, 2006 Mr. Moore was served a summons to extract DNA samples from his body. One thing is crystal clear now, without a doubt, that Moore's DNA sample confirms that he was not at the scene of the crime and it will totally exonerate him from the 1978 murder of Mr. Donald Lanthier.

PROTEST IN OTTAWA

On June 10, 2009, at 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Human Rights Monument, corner of Elgin and Lisgar Streets (In case of rain it will be in the CUPW boardroom, 377 Bank Street.)

Mr. John C. Moore will be coming to Ottawa, to address this injustice to the media in Country's Capital. With the hope to speak with the Justice Minister or a member of the Justice Department for a review Mr. Moore's case in order to exonerate him for this unconstitutional murder conviction.

Presentations at the media conference by: A local Anishinaabe Elder, William Morin - Chief Administrator of the First Peoples National Party, Denis Michel - John Moore's Lawyer, a support statement from NDP MP Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury), Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). Sudbury Against War and Occupation, Indigenous Peoples' Solidarity Movement -Ottawa, and others to be announced.

INJUSTICE SYSTEM
Join us to help shed light on injustice in our legal system. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past, or how our justice system failed Donald Marshall, David Milgaard, Wilson Napoose, Guy Paul Morin and many others.

For more information on John Moore's case you can visit
http://homepages.cambrianc.on.ca/gbcooper/johnmoore/

Or visit John Moore's FACEBOOK page.

To contact John Moore do so by email: johnpower1955@hotmail.com
or call to leave a message at toll free 1-877-248-4133

Supported by: John Howards Society Sudbury & Ottawa,
Sudbury Against War and Occupation (SAWO) sudburyawo@gmail.com
Website: www.aws.roadnetwork.org, Indigenous Peoples' Solidarity Movement -Ottawa Website: http://ipsmo.wordpress.com Email: ipsmo@riseup.net, The First Peoples National Party of Canada www.fpnpoc.ca, Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).