Ahenakew to be tried second time on hate charge
Updated Fri. Feb. 1 2008 5:29 PM ET
The Canadian Press
REGINA -- Former aboriginal leader David Ahenakew will be tried a second time on a charge of wilfully promoting hatred, Saskatchewan's Justice Ministry announced Friday.
Ahenakew's lawyer called the decision "vindictive'' and questioned what a new trial would accomplish.
"It seems cruel and unusual to put a man through another trial when he's already apologized for the spontaneous comment he regrets making,'' said lawyer Doug Christie.
"It's vindictive,'' he said. "Once you've made a statement for which you've apologized, it seems to me there's no evidence of intent to promote hatred.''
Ahenakew was originally convicted in provincial court of wilfully promoting hate and fined $1,000 for comments he made in 2002.
Court heard how the former chief of the Assembly of First Nations referred to Jews as a "disease.'' Ahenakew made the comments when he was approached by a reporter after a speech in which Ahenakew appeared to blame Jews for the Second World War.
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