NewsWhore
02-03-2012, 03:50 PM
On the anniversary of the death of Jordan Morrison in Punta Cana, his parents, Carrie McGinnis and her husband Dale flew back here to attend the trial of the men accused with his murder.
Five men were originally charged, but only two Montreal men, Dmytro Aref Yev and Bouzid Redha, both 21, have been charged with the killing. McGinnis says she knows Bouzid Redha is out on bail, but that Dmytro Aref Yev is still in jail. However, at one point last year, officials at Foreign Affairs Canada had said there were four Canadian citizens who were forbidden to leave the Dominican Republic pending further investigation into Morrison's death
McGinnis knows the two men charged didn't plead guilty, but couldn't provide further details because of the difficulty understanding the court proceedings in Spanish. She said that the Canadian Consulate staff sit in the courthouse and take notes, but don't share them with the Barrie family saying that they were impartial and not allowed to assist the family with translation.
"We have never, ever really been told anything," McGinnis said of the court proceedings. "Something happens (in court) and we think, 'OK, what just went on here?' But we don't get an explanation."
There was confusion at the trial proceedings in December and Yev was not brought to the courthouse for what the Morrisons believed would be the reading of the verdict. At that point, however, the trial was postponed until Feb. 8.
Although privacy legislation in Canada prohibits the embassy from releasing detailed information, getting an explanation for past, current and future court dealings is proving to be overwhelming for Jordan's family.
"Foreign Affairs called me a week after we got back last time and said don't count on a verdict because it's still in the trial process," McGinnis said. "I don't understand how they're going backwards.
"We went for the verdict in December and now they say it's still in the trial (stage)."
This is the Barrie family's fourth trip to the Dominican Republic since Jordan's death last year.
www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3457416 (http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3457416)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)
Five men were originally charged, but only two Montreal men, Dmytro Aref Yev and Bouzid Redha, both 21, have been charged with the killing. McGinnis says she knows Bouzid Redha is out on bail, but that Dmytro Aref Yev is still in jail. However, at one point last year, officials at Foreign Affairs Canada had said there were four Canadian citizens who were forbidden to leave the Dominican Republic pending further investigation into Morrison's death
McGinnis knows the two men charged didn't plead guilty, but couldn't provide further details because of the difficulty understanding the court proceedings in Spanish. She said that the Canadian Consulate staff sit in the courthouse and take notes, but don't share them with the Barrie family saying that they were impartial and not allowed to assist the family with translation.
"We have never, ever really been told anything," McGinnis said of the court proceedings. "Something happens (in court) and we think, 'OK, what just went on here?' But we don't get an explanation."
There was confusion at the trial proceedings in December and Yev was not brought to the courthouse for what the Morrisons believed would be the reading of the verdict. At that point, however, the trial was postponed until Feb. 8.
Although privacy legislation in Canada prohibits the embassy from releasing detailed information, getting an explanation for past, current and future court dealings is proving to be overwhelming for Jordan's family.
"Foreign Affairs called me a week after we got back last time and said don't count on a verdict because it's still in the trial process," McGinnis said. "I don't understand how they're going backwards.
"We went for the verdict in December and now they say it's still in the trial (stage)."
This is the Barrie family's fourth trip to the Dominican Republic since Jordan's death last year.
www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3457416 (http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3457416)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#10)