CALLS FOR INQUIRY INTO CROWN HANDLING OF WEBSTER CASE

Egale Canada has issued a public call for an inquiry into the Crown's handling of the Aaron Webster murder case. Aaron Webster was killed after he was found by four young men that entered a well known gay crusing area. Three of the four have received prison sentances and one was aquitted.

The Crown refused to call the case a hate crime. The LGBTQ communities in Vancouver have moved from simple disbelief to growing sense of anger. That anger is developing across the country as Egale's media release points out. "The government reluctance to use the Hate Crime provisions of the law send a clear message to the larger community that you won't face a tougher sentance because you target a gay person," said Rick Barnes editor of Queer Thoughts.

"This sentencing decision is proof that the criminal justice system needs a good shake-up!" says Tami Starlight, an Egale Canada Director.

"The circumstances leave no doubt that this murder was a hate crime and the justice system seems not to want to recognize this. The Vancouver LGBT community has been shaken by the brutality of the slaying and the Crown's refusal to acknowledge it as a hate crime really makes me question the government's will to acknowledge and combat violence against minority communities. There needs to be an inquiry into how the Crown handled this case. I believe Aaron Webster, his family and the LGBT community deserve better."

Egale Canada's call for an inquiry follows on earlier demands issued by the Vancouver LGBT communities this week. You can read Egale's entire media release at PEJ NEWS. At time of posting it was not yet on the Egale Canada website.

For more on the reaction to the Webster case click here.