28937: Holmstead (reply) Re: 28933: Dailey re 28908 John Holmstead (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

FROM: John Holmstead

Firstly, Chamblain didn't waste away for more than two
years in prison as Auguste. So while his release may
reveal the corruption of the judiciary, Auguste's
dentention seems to represent more the politicization
of the institution during the Latortue tenure. Anyway,
I appreciate your comment.

During a cursory search in the Corbett archives I came
across this concerning Montas, RSF and Toussaint. I am
sure there's more if I only had the time.

Excerpts from:

To: Haiti mailing list <haiti@lists.webster.edu>
Subject: 7371: The Case of Jean Dominique -- Part II
(fwd)
From: Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001 16:48:08 -0600 (CST)
Sender: owner-haiti@lists.webster.edu


FROM IMPUNITY NO MORE

By Ana Arana

Radio journalist, Radio Haiti
Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Quote #1

In February 2001, before the Aristide presidential
inauguration, for example, Montas suspended all
transmissions at Radio Haiti for three days.
The action was to protest a motion to investigate
Judge Gassant by the Lavalas-controlled senate after
his third attempt to force Sen. Toussaint to testify.
"They have to understand that there won't be impunity
in this case," she added, although she is aware she
will need international support to get the case
through Haiti's labyrinth-like judicial system.

Quote #2

Instead, Haitian and foreign observers and
investigators in the case have looked for clues in a
radio editorial Dominique delivered on Oct. 19, 1999,
six months before his death. The editorial was a
direct attack against Dany Toussaint, who was not a
senator at the time, but was rumored to be interested
in becoming chief of police for a second time.
Toussaint served
as the interim police chief in the first Aristide
government, after the military was disbanded and a new
police force was being formed. At the time Dominique
was said to be preparing a series of dossiers on the
corrupt practices and drug trafficking records of
several Lavalas officials, including Toussaint,
according to several accounts. Montas, however,
insists
there were no dossiers. "Jean just accused people in
his daily commentaries," she said.

Quote#3

Toussaint has not kept quiet on the face of attacks
and charges on the Dominique murder. He has even
accused the widow, Michele Montas of planning the
murder. His lawyer Jean Claude Nord, has charged
Michele Montas with organizing the attacks against
Toussaint, to thwart his chance to run in the 2006
presidential elections.

Here is info concerning RSF's position. Since his
immunity was never lifted by the Senate he had become,
in Menard's own words, "a permanent suspect." Yet
Menard and RSF were silent about this "a permanent
suspect" when he waged a high profile and public
campaign for the presidency in 2005-2006. Wouldn't
that have been the perfect opportunity for someone as
adept at grabbin the headlines as Menard for raising
the issue again?

Excerpted from:

To: Haiti mailing list <haiti@lists.webster.edu>
Subject: 8890: Ha�ti : RSF urges Senate to lift
parliamentary immunity of senator implicated in
journalist Jean Dominique's murder (fwd)
From: Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 04:38:19 -0500 (CDT)
Sender: owner-haiti@lists.webster.edu

13 August 2001
RSF urges Senate to lift parliamentary immunity of
senator implicated
in journalist Jean Dominique's murder


In a letter to senators, RSF urged Haiti's elected
representatives to lift the parliamentary immunity of
Dany Toussaint, a senator from the west. "By voting in
favour of this measure, you will simply be allowing
the justice system to follow its natural course,"
wrote RSF Secretary-General Robert M�nard. "If Mr.
Toussaint is innocent, as he claims, only a fair and
impartial trial will enable him to clear his name
conclusively. Refusing to lift his parliamentary
immunity would
constitute a denial of justice and make him a
permanent suspect," explained Menard. He also asked
the senators to demonstrate an "exemplary" attitude
with regard to the case of assassinated journalist
Jean Dominique, which is being followed closely by
Haitian society and
the international community. RSF recalled that in
January 2001, the upper chamber expressed its
opposition to the examining judge hearing Senator
Toussaint as a witness.

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