Posted on 02/01/2002 5:00:04 AM PST by Lorenb420
Toronto Police seriously violated the privacy rights of several hundred bare-breasted women when they used male officers to raid a lesbian bathhouse, a judge said yesterday.
As a result, Justice Peter Hryn tossed all charges laid against Pussy Palace bath-house party organizers Jill Hornick and Rachael Aitcheson under the Liquor Licence Act after the five male officers inspected in September Hryn excluded all evidence from the police officers at the trial, thus effectively leaving the Crown with no evidence.
WHOOPS OF JOY
The decision was met with hugs, whoops of joy and smiles by the mostly female- packed spectators' gallery. Aitcheson and Hornick told reporters they were pleased with the result.
Now the two women, members of the Toronto Women's Bathhouse Committee, and Councillor Kyle Rae want an apology from police and Chief Julian Fantino. Rae vowed to follow-up immediately.
Hryn said the search, which occurred after two female undercover officers spied alleged infractions at the party and called in the male officers to do an inspection, was "unreasonable" and analogous to a strip search.
There was no physical search but Hryn found that the 350 women -- 70% of whom were topless -- were humiliated and frightened when the men walked through visually inspecting.
A wonderful precedent - now having hurt feelings amounts to a technicality to get a case thrown out of court.
"Your honor, my client was frightened and humiliated when police officers came to arrest him after he was accussed of this triple murder - I move for immediate dismissal. . . ."
Not exactly a cunning stunt. No wonder they were busted.
<...<...golf clap...> ...>
Who is legally responsible for the damages?
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