Area residents rally against verdict in murder trial

By Lethbridge Herald on April 2, 2015.

Nick Kuhl Lethbridge Herald nkuhl@lethbridgeherald.com Lethbridge and area residents stood together with those in cities across Canada Thursday afternoon to rally against the verdict in the Cindy Gladue murder case. The local rally, which was peaceful and drew about 100 people outside of the Lethbridge Provincial Courthouse, was an act of solidarity from Treaty 7 and the Blackfoot Territory, said organizer Lauren Crazybull. Attendees carried signs, passed out informational pamphlets, and listened to speeches, including one from Marie Carlson, Gladue’s first cousin. “The love that you feel for your family doesn’t ever go away,” she said. “The feeling; still overwhelming because of why we’re all out here. She was very outgoing. We always had a lot of fun.” “We’re protesting in solidarity, nationally, for justice for Cindy Gladue,” Crazybull said. “Her killer is walking free now, but there has been an appeal for the case that happened this (Thursday) morning. This is to show that we will try to make our indigenous women safe.” Gladue died in 2011. The 36-year-old prostitute bled to death and her body was found in a bathtub in an Edmonton motel room. The Crown had argued at trial that Gladue had been cut with a weapon, but the defence attributed the injury to rough sex. Last month a jury found Bradley Barton, an Ontario trucker, not guilty of first-degree murder. Prosecutors will appeal the acquittal. Local ralliers, however, said the verdict is an injustice. Crazybull said they wanted to “raise our voice” against the perpetuation of the missing and murdered aboriginal women crisis, but in a peaceful way that also pays respect Gladue’s family and the families of other victims. “This particular case is so visibly unjust that people can see what is happening to indigenous women, before and after their deaths, is wrong,” Crazybull said. “I think this case can be the case to bring this issue to light. A lot people are starting to pay attention now. For us to all come together nationally, there all grassroots movements and it’s all women organizing these across Canada, is an important aspect.” Alberta has the second-highest rate in Canada of missing or murdered indigenous women, behind only B.C. “That’s a really important thing to take note of,” Crazybull said. “We do live next to one the biggest reserves in Canada, so I think people need to realize this is happening. We’re still in solidarity and we will be watching this case, and other cases to come just to make sure we’re keeping these systems accountable.” “As women, we need to stand together to change the outcome for our children and our children’s children,” Carlson said. Thursday’s rally also included a letter-writing campaign directed at Crown Prosecutor Carole Godfrey and Solicitor General Jonathan Denis. -With CP files