Trespassing charges laid against members of Carleton Lifeline Oct. 4, 2010 were withdrawn Oct. 31, according to a Lifeline press release.
Five members were arrested after refusing to move a display comparing abortion to genocide, which the university deemed “offensive,” from the Unicentre atrium into Porter Hall.
According to the Crown, trespassing charges were withdrawn since the dispute between Lifeline and Carleton is already being dealt with in a lawsuit, launched by former Lifeline president Ruth (Lobo) Shaw and current president John McLeod Feb. 26. Lifeline sued the university for “discriminatory treatment,” according to their statement of claim.
“[Shaw and McLeod] are pleased to hear that the charges were dropped . . . it certainly bolsters their claims that the arrest was wrongful,” said Lifeline’s lawyer Albertos Polizogopoulos.
The two were scheduled to be in court Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, but didn’t have to attend after the charges were dropped by the prosecution, according to the press release.
A motion to dismiss Lifeline’s statement of claim was denied this summer. However, the Ontario Superior Court ordered Lobo and McLeod to amend the statement and pay Carleton $18,400.87 in legal fees related to the motion, according to the press release.
Carleton president Roseann Runte said she had no comment on the charges being dropped. Media representative Chris Cline said the university would not comment on the ongoing legal suit as the university’s position “is something [they] will argue in court, not through the media.”
“Our position on the issue is public and we stand by it,” he said via email.
Despite the trespassing charges being dropped, this doesn’t mean Lifeline’s legal battle with Carleton is over, McLeod said in a press release.
“Although we no longer need to defend ourselves against the trespassing charges, a lot of work still needs to be done to move our lawsuit against Carleton University along and to clarify the legal rights of students to campus free speech and expression,” he said.
As per the judge’s request in the summer, Polizogopoulos said Lifeline has amended its statement of claim and the next step is up to the university.
He said the university is "rather intent” on trying to strike the amended statement of claim, which he said would continue to draw the case out.
“Effectively, what they would be asking here is that the court throw out the case before they even hear it,” Polizogopoulos said.
A court date in December is a possibility; however, the next step is up to administration, he said.
— with files from Jane Gerster
