The R Card Is Being Played

And I am not talking about the "river" card........

Family members frustrated by wait

By TOM GODFREY, SUN MEDIA

Tempers were high at a Finch Ave. court yesterday as more than 100 family members waited for hours as suspects arrested in the Driftwood Crips roundup tried in vain to post bail.

After a lengthy wait in the hallways, angry relatives were told the accused will remain in jail until Monday.

The good news......the news would be better if the major figures were not granted bail under any conditions.

More than 14 Toronto Police and court officers at one point stood guard to keep family members from getting into the courtrooms.

"These bail hearings are a disaster," said lawyer John Christie, who represents four of the suspects. "If these were rich kids from Rosedale or Forest Hill, there would have been special courts set up with parking for Jaguars."

He said some of the suspects, including many women, were sleeping over at the homes of alleged gang members when arrested and have no criminal records.

Michele Foster, a mother of three, said her family was awakened about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday by their door being smashed in by police. "My 10-year-old daughter has been traumatized," Foster said outside court. "Me and my husband were held in handcuffs for more than an hour."

Her son Jamil Foster, 20, a Grade 12 student at C.W. Jefferys high school, was charged with associating with a criminal organization.

Defence lawyer Stephen Bernstein said families were frustrated because they couldn't talk or see the suspects. "The process today is very disappointing and disheartening to the families," he said.