Sudbury student fights for justice

BY KEITH LACEY

A young Laurentian University student who says she was roughed up by police without cause remains hopeful charges of resisting arrest and assaulting police will be dismissed against her and a good friend.

With a group of one dozen supporters from the Sudbury Coalition Against Poverty (SCAP) showing pictures of a bruised and battered Ander Reszczynski, 21, which were taken hours after an incident on June 27 near the Grotto of Lourdes on Van Horne St. downtown, four charges were adjourned for one month until Jan. 17.

Reszczynski insists she and friend Shawn Pelletier, who was not in court Wednesday, were roughed up by a large group of officers from the Greater Sudbury Police Service after refusing to leave the religious shrine.

She and Pelletier were simply talking and officers became upset and aggressive when they questioned why they were being asked to leave the area, said Reszczynski.

She and Pelletier "know their rights" and told officers they could only be charged with trespassing if someone had filed a complaint, which officers admitted had not happened that night, or if their safety was endangered, which it was not, said Reszczynski.

She also insists there weren't any 'no trespassing' signs erected in the area, but that two such signs were put up two days after she was arrested.

Both Pelletier and Reszczynski have been charged with trespassing, mischief, resisting arrest and assaulting police.

Reszczynski went to court Wednesday hoping all or some of the charges she's facing would be dropped.

She wasn't upset or disappointed another adjournment had taken place and still believes all charges against her will be withdrawn before a trial date is set.

Reszczynski says her case is an important one because she has met numerous people who have told her similar stories of "marginalized people" being harassed or physically assaulted by police.

Reszczynski said she was roughed up by having her face rubbed harshly against a road surface, while Pelletier had his face slammed more than once into the front of a police cruiser.

Gary Kinsman, leader of SCAP, said this case is very important because the coalition has many members who have reported similar instances of physical abuse by Greater Sudbury Police officers.

"This is not an isolated incident...it happens all the time against the poor, native people, sex trade workers...and it's got to stop," he said.