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Michael Nehass deserves a face to face apology

Michael Nehass deserves a face-to-face apology It is not always easy to apologize. It can and should be a very humbling experience. I read recently that an apology was given by Judge Leigh Gower to Michael Nehass. Michael appeared shackled and chained

It is not always easy to apologize. It can and should be a very humbling experience.

I read recently that an apology was given by Judge Leigh Gower to Michael Nehass. Michael appeared shackled and chained and quite naked on a video appearance before Judge Gower in 2014.

Judge Gower, aware of Michael’s condition, allowed the proceedings to continue for quite some time while Michael was calling out for something to cover his lower body, screaming that people are going to see his penis.

Judge Gower did eventually stop the proceedings. It would appear to me that Judge Gower is not a seasoned enough judge to know that his courtroom had become a sham.

Well on to the apology, did Judge Gower apologize to Michael Nehass in person, face to face? Apparently not, as Michael has stated so. I take that as a non-apology. Shame on you Judge Gower!

Are you that supreme, that you cannot humble yourself to do this decent act? Can you not locate Michael? I know where he is. He is in a solitary confinement cell at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre, where he has been for close to 30 months, according to his family, and where now apparently he will be held for an additional three and a half months.

I believe that length of time is a violation of a United Nations’ charter that Canada is a signature of. That length of time is a violation of close to a thousand days.

Wow - is our judicial system trying to drive Michael into a state of unrecoverable mental illness? Are our justice ministers, namely Mike Nixon (territotial) and Peter Mackay (federal) not intelligent enough to understand that there has to be a better way to deal with difficult prisoners other that solitary confinement? Wasn’t the death of Ashley Smith enough?

Canada may not have the death penalty, but we do have a method of killing a living person and still leave him or her as living. Shame on all of you involved for allowing this to happen.

If I happen not to wish you a “Merry Christmas,” Judge Gower, and you are reading this message as slander, I apologize.

Richard Zier-Vogel

Whitehorse