CATEGORY:PRESS RELEASE ------------------------------ INSIDE GRENADA SUNDAY July 01,2007 Editor's note: The following press release represents the views and sentiments of the MAURICE BISHOP AND OCTOBER 19, 1983 MARTYRS FOUNDATION AND FAMILIES OF OCTOBER VICTIMS. We the members of the family and foundation are deeply disturbed over the conduct and outcome of the re-sentencing hearing presided over by Justice Francis Belle at the Grenada Trade Centre over the past week and half. We are indeed deeply disturbed over the selection of the presiding Judge, against the background of clear and uncontroverted evidence that Justice Belle was part of a political movement in Barbados, which had strong ties with members of the Grenada Thirteen who were before him for re-sentencing. We strongly believe, that given the Judge's close association with these persons who were before him for re-sentencing, that the entire process has been compromised. In this regard, it is our view, that what transpired yesterday, when the sentences were handed down, can only be regarded as a serious miscarriage of justice and subversion of the rule of law; and serves only to undermine public confidence in the Administration of Justice in Grenada and the OECS. From the commencement of the proceedings, it was clear that the families of the victims would not have seen justice for the persons who were brutally executed on the Fort by these ruthless criminals who robbed us and the Grenadian Society at large of our loved ones. We hasten to remind the Grenadian people, that what happened on the Fort, was not "armed conflict or civil unrest" as some of these ruthless criminals, through their Lawyers, were trying to portray. Maurice Bishop, his colleagues and the other innocent persons who were gunned down, were executed after some of them were lined up by these criminals whose only mission was the pursuit of power. We are amazed, to say the least, to have heard from the mouth of Lester Redhead, who brought five persons, who were at the foot of the Fort, back to the top of the Fort, to be executed, commenting on being released that "he is innocent". This is the same man, who from the evidence, cut off the fingers and slashed the throat of Maurice Bishop. We the grieving family members and the Grenadian public at large, are at a loss, having heard these ruthless men, through their Lawyers, telling the Grenadian people, that they do not accept criminal liability but moral and political responsibility. To date, they have shown absolutely no sign of remorse; all we have seen is the arrogance and contempt displayed 24 years ago. We are yet to be told what happened to the remains of our loved ones. They have not told the Grenadian people what they have done with the bodies so that we can get closure. Is this the conduct of men who deserve forgiveness? We remind the country that forgiveness is fundamentally different from accepting responsibility for your deeds and being punished accordingly. It is clear that justice was not to be done from this re-sentencing hearing. We ask the question, how can a Judge be asked to preside over the re-sentencing of his former Comrades? We remind the country that when persons are selected for Jury service and they are empanelled to serve on the Jury, one of the first questions posed by the Judge, is, do you know the accused? Our mistrust of the process was greatly compounded, when, in the course of given his oral judgment, Justice Belle stated: I do not accept that there is any evidence of future risks of criminal activities by these Defendants. I also reject the notion that the risk posed by the Defendants is equal to that of terrorists. Terrorists must be distinguished from persons who put up arms for a Revolutionary ideal, or even seizing State power at some time in the past. There are many who took up arms for legitimate causes who seek the use of violence after achieving certain objectives or accepting that such tactics will no longer work. This is a frightening pronouncement coming from the mouth of a Judge, who from the evidence, presented in Affidavit, clearly shows that he was part and parcel of the same movement as the convicted persons. We think that the conduct of Acting Chief Justice, Brian Alleyne, in selecting Justice Belle to preside in this matter, warrants serious investigation. We the family members wrote to Acting Chief Justice, Brian Alleyne, through our Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Robert Clarke of Barbados, asking for his immediate intervention in removing Justice Belle from presiding in this matter. To date, the Acting Chief Justice has not responded to our letter. We have been reliably informed that Justice Alleyne visited Grenada on Tuesday 26th June, the day before the sentence was handed down, and stayed at the Coyaba Hotel, the very hotel where all the Attorneys representing the convicted persons were staying. This development certainly reinforces the view that forces were at work behind the scene to thwart the process of justice. Further, we were reliably informed that on Wednesday afternoon after the re-sentencing, Justice Bell went straight to the Airport on his way back to St. Kitts. He was joined by Justice Alleyne and both men left on the same flight out of Grenada. All this, against the backdrop of the late postponement of the scheduled sitting of the Court of Appeal, in Grenada, commencing on the 25th of June 2007. We are indeed indebted to all of Grenada, the Caribbean and the wider world, who have expressed their support for the cause and share the pain and suffering of the family members. We ask that you continue in your prayers, as we join together to ensure that justice is done and we find peace within ourselves and in our Homeland.