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After 9 long months the trial within a trial for the Bladen 12 was closed off today after final dock statements were tendered into evidence. Attorney Leeroy Banner explained that the reason as to why this "Voir Dire" lasted so long was because of the clash in schedules among the trial magistrates and four different attorneys on the case. But now that the voir dire for the caution statement has ended, what is next for the Bladen 12? He explained:
Leeroy Banner, Attorney
"Okay what happened is that we finally closed the evidence as it relates to the voir dire the three accused persons gave docked statements and they explained to the court what took place on the day they were detained they explained to the magistrate what ordeals they had endured so now we have finished with the evidence taking aspect of the voir dire. no we have to do written submissions and the court has given us time to prepare our submissions and then we come back to court on the 17th of December where the magistrate will give you ruling as to whether or not she will accept the overall statement and the caution statement that was given by the accused persons."
"Medical evidence was tendered medical legal forms were submitted on the Crown scale, which I believe could assist the court in coming to a conclusion, one way or the other."
"We have challenged the statements saying that it was not given freely, and that is my instruction that it was not given in accordance with the evidence act but I don't want to comment on the merit or demerits of that because that is a live issue before the trial magistrate."
