Please Endorse This Statement
Justice and Freedom for John Moore is a committee supporting an innocent indigenous man's struggle for justice and freedom in Canada. We are asking organizations and prominent individuals from across Canada to endorse this statement supporting John's demand for a review of his unjust second degree murder conviction:
John C. Moore, an Ojibway man from Serpent River First Nation, was convicted of second degree murder in 1978. This happened despite the fact that he was not present when the crime was committed and had no role whatsoever in perpetrating it, and was based solely on him having spent time earlier that day with the individuals who committed the crime. His trials were tainted with systemic racism. The law under which he was convicted was ruled unconstitutional in 1987, and noone would be convicted under similar circumstances today. Yet Moore continues to bear the burden of the stigma of this conviction. He must regularly report to a parole officer and must ask permission if he wishes to leave the city of Sudbury, Ontario, which is impeding his freedom of movement and his capacity to find meaningful work. For all of these reasons, and in recognition of the long history of indigenous people being targeted unfairly by the Canadian justice system, we, the individuals and groups listed below, call upon the Government of Canada to conduct a review of Moore's conviction.
Before you get in touch with us to add your name or the name of your organization, you may wish to read the following (all below):
a more detailed letter describing our request for support;
a message from John;
a message from Glenn Thibeault, NDP Member of Parliament for Sudbury, in support of John;
an up to date list of organizations and individuals that have already signed on to the statement above.
If you have read these things and wish to add your voice to those calling for justice and freedom for John Moore and for other people struggling against Canada's racist judicial system, or if you wish more information, please email John at johnpower1955@hotmail.com or members of the support committee at sudburyawo@gmail.com. You can also get in touch with us by mail at Justice and Freedom For John Moore, c/o Glenn Thibeault, MP, 40 Elm Street, Suite 102a, Rainbow Centre, Sudbury, ON, P3C 1S8. You can also go to our blogspot at http://justiceandfreedomforjohnmoore.blogspot.com/
Letter Asking For Your Support
Justice and Freedom For John Moore
c/o Glenn Thibeault, MP
40 Elm Street
Suite 102a, Rainbow Centre
Sudbury, ON
P3C 1S8
Dear supporters of freedom and justice:
We are calling upon organizations and prominent individuals from across Canada to sign on to the enclosed statement, which calls for a judicial review of the unjust second degree murder conviction of John C. Moore.
John is an Ojibway man from Serpent River First Nation, near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. In January, 1979, he was convicted of second degree murder. Yet John was not present when the crime was committed and he played no part whatsoever in planning or executing it. His sole connection to the crime was that he spent time earlier that same day with the two men who did commit it. Over the course of two trials that were steeped in systemic racism, this was deemed sufficient for John to spend ten years in Millhaven Penitentiary. One of the most visible examples of this racism was that John was convicted by an all-white jury, despite the fact that Sault Ste. Marie and its surrounding areas have significant First Nations populations.
In a ruling on another individual's case in 1987, the Supreme Court of Canada declared the law under which John had been convicted to be unconstitutional. No one would be convicted of murder today just because of spending time with murderers earlier on the day that they committed their crime.
Yet to this day, John bears the stigma of a murder conviction. It follows him when he meets new people. It follows him when he needs to seek employment. More than that, his choices and opportunities – not to mention his dignity – are circumscribed by the parole supervision to which he will be forced to submit for the rest of his life if his conviction is not overturned. He must ask permission every time he wishes to leave Sudbury, Ontario, and this seriously limits his freedom of movement and his ability to find meaningful employment.
John has been an active participant in social justice struggles in Sudbury for many years. He remains passionately committed to seeking freedom and justice for himself, for other indigenous people who have been targeted by the justice system, and, indeed, for all people. Justice and Freedom for John Moore is a committee comprised of John and some of his core supporters in Sudbury.
John is ultimately seeking full exoneration, but at the moment his key demand is a review of his conviction by the federal Justice Department. To strengthen that demand, our committee is asking for organizations and prominent individuals from across the country to sign on to the included statement, which recognizes the injustice of John's situation and calls for a review of his conviction.
Please also find a personal statement from John enclosed in this package, a few words in support of John from Glenn Thibeault, NDP Member of Parliament for Sudbury, and a list of organizations and individuals who have already signed on to the statement.
If you wish further information about John's case or would like a speaker on the issue, please send mail to Justice and Freedom For John Moore, c/o Glenn Thibeault, MP, 40 Elm Street, Suite 102a, Rainbow Centre, Sudbury, ON, P3C 1S8. Or you can send us some email at sudburyawo@gmail.com or johnpower1955@hotmail.com.
And once you have all the information you need, please endorse the included statement and support John Moore's quest for justice and freedom and the broader struggle against racism in Canada.
Sincerely
Justice and Freedom for John Moore
A Message from John Moore
What my unconstitutional second degree murder conviction boils down to be, is an innocent Aboriginal man spending ten years in prison for a murder that he absolutely and unequivocally did not commit! And another 22 years asking the Canadian Government to review my wrongful unconstitutional second degree murder conviction!
Losing everything that was part of my life, my freedom, my dignity, my young family, memories that can never be recovered. Those memories are gone forever! I lost a lot more than anyone can imagine! Among those losses were the deaths of my dad Ira Moore, who was killed in a hit and run accident in Ottawa, the passing of my grandmother Jeannie, the passing of one of my sons, the passing of my sister-in-laws, the passing of a number of Uncles, Aunts and some Cousins and the passing of some very close friends. All these losses happened while I was locked up in prison for a murder that I did not play any part in.
It was also proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I was not present when the murder of Mr. Donald Lanthier, the Sault Ste. Marie cab driver was committed!
John C. Moore
An innocent Aboriginal man fighting for justice and freedom in Canada.
A Message from Glenn Thibeault, NDP Member of Parliament for Sudbury
John Moore has been seeking justice since 1978. He has walked a long road since then, from a father of three living in Sault Ste. Marie, and into a prejudiced legal system. The promise of his younger life, as a college graduate, chef and a family man, was washed away when he was convicted for a crime he did not commit.
Enduring a lifetime on parole, John has proven his determination to clear his name. He has worked tirelessly to maintain his faith in the system which failed him, pursuing appeals all the way to the Supreme Court. Since his trial, the law he was convicted under was ruled unconstitutional, and yet his requests for review to successive Federal Ministers of Justice have fallen on deaf ears.
As a native man, John Moore received the same treatment from the Canadian justice system that all aboriginals could expect, when in 1978 an all-white jury ruled on his case in a city surrounded by native communities. Thirty years later, he deserves more from all of us. Please help me find justice for John Moore.
Sincerely,
Glenn Thibeault, MP
Signers So Far
This is a list of organizations and individuals who have signed the statement in support of John. Please get your organization to do the same!
Organizations:
Aboriginal People's Alliance of Northern Ontario
Sudbury and District Labour Council
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Sudbury Against War and Occupation
Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement -- Ottawa
Ontario Public Interest Research Group Carleton
Individuals in the Sudbury Area:
John Closs, President, Sudbury and District Labour Council
Glenn Thibeault, Member of Parliament, New Democratic Party
John Rimore, Director, John Howard Society of Sudbury
David Sylvestre, former Green Party federal candidate
Will Morin, former First Peoples National Party federal candidate
Rene Fortin, labour activist, Canadian Union of Public Employees (retired)
A.S. McGregor, Professor, Classics, Laurentian University (retired)
Gary Kinsman, Professor, Sociology, Laurentian University
Alexis Shotwell, Professor, Philosophy and English, Laurentian University
Robert Pilotte, deacon, Roman Catholic Church (retired)
Denis Michel, lawyer
Cindy Hatch, owner, Kwick Kopy Printing
Michael Chirka, owner, Kwick Kopy Printing
David Starbuck, labour activist, Ontario Public Service Employees Union
Deborah Brideau
Theresa Moore
Bill Kesek
Angela Kesek
Chase Read
Louise Read
Edmund Newton
William Francis Bruhmuller
M. Lorraine Macintyre
James Burke
Clayton Spencer
Thomas Tourville
Clarissa Lassaline
Paul Lavrin
Larry Bouchard
Individuals Beyond Sudbury:
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, author and activist, San Francisco
John Clarke, organizer, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Toronto
Yves Engler, author and activist, Montreal
Joan Kuyek, community organizer and author, Ottawa
Doreen Spence, activist and Cree elder, Calgary
Roger Medahbie, artist, Serpent River First Nation
Dave Bleakney, National Union Representative, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Ottawa
Ira Rabinovitch, Toronto
Melanie Robitaille, Toronto
Kevin Clarkson
(Unless otherwise indicated, the organizational affiliations of individuals who have signed onto this statement are presented for the purposes of identification only and do not necessarily indicate that any position has been taken by the organization.)
For more information, visit http://homepages.cambrianc.on.ca/gbcooper/johnmoore/
