October 18th Christopher Skinner was the victim of a random attack that has some signs of a "Gay Bashing".
Security video has been released by police in an effort to gather witnesses. Anyone with information about the suspects and their vehicle, or who other witnesses may be, are asked to contact the Police or Crimestoppers.
The security cameras are located along Adelaide St:
Adelaide and Duncan where he attempts to hail a cab for several minutes
View Larger Map
Adelaide at Yonge Street where he is seen 20 minutes later
View Larger Map
Adelaide @ Bay St where the SUV is filmed:
View Larger Map
And the Purolator Store on Adelaide, just west of Victoria:
View Larger Map
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Globe and Mail "collides" with truth.
Reporting in the Globe and Mail on today's first court date for Michael Bryant is disturbingly misleading. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/lawyers-to-make-court-appearance-in-bryant-case/article1328728/
Half a sentence describes the incident:"The accused faces charges of dangerous driving and criminal negligence causing the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard, 33, a bicycle courier who collided with Mr. Bryant's Saab convertible on Aug. 31." - sic
Kate Hammer is listed as the author of the article, but it is also credited: "With a report from Adam Radwanski" who is listed as a friend on Nikki Holland's Facebook page. So who wrote what?
Nikki Holland is Bryant's longtime assistant who can be seen outside the police car the night of the incident, and is apparently the one who delivered a new suit to Bryant early September 1st. Insider connections are detailed at http://www.njnnetwork.com/njn/?p=23078
Given the video evidence I shake my head at the continued brazen attempts to either spin this, or rely on the inaccurate and damaging police statement given September 1. Is journalism in Canada dead? Fortunately, netizens have rallied and posted accurate information.
Half a sentence describes the incident:"The accused faces charges of dangerous driving and criminal negligence causing the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard, 33, a bicycle courier who collided with Mr. Bryant's Saab convertible on Aug. 31." - sic
Kate Hammer is listed as the author of the article, but it is also credited: "With a report from Adam Radwanski" who is listed as a friend on Nikki Holland's Facebook page. So who wrote what?
Nikki Holland is Bryant's longtime assistant who can be seen outside the police car the night of the incident, and is apparently the one who delivered a new suit to Bryant early September 1st. Insider connections are detailed at http://www.njnnetwork.com/njn/?p=23078
Given the video evidence I shake my head at the continued brazen attempts to either spin this, or rely on the inaccurate and damaging police statement given September 1. Is journalism in Canada dead? Fortunately, netizens have rallied and posted accurate information.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Off "The Mark"
The journal "The Mark" www.themarknews.com/articles/537-final-arbiter has repeatedly deleted the link to the youtube video clip as well as my comments from an article by Neil Boyd. Please take a moment to post a comment there mentioning the youtube link, or send a letter to Neil Boyd informing him of your feelings of this kind of censorship. My posted comment follows:
"I posted the youtube surveillance footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFISP_PrhFo I did this in the absence of appropriate conduct by the media. They took 16 crucial seconds of a surveillance tape and cut it up out of sequence to fit a misleading statement of events issued by the police the morning after. It is notable that the uniformed officer issuing the inaccurate statement stood behind Mr. Bryant (the accused). When have you EVER seen a police officer make a photo-op like that, in support of a man accused in a death? That inaccurate account was published widely without investigation in both fact and opinion articles. The issue is not with the judiciary, but with the prosecution. For many, the charges seem very weak given Bryant's actions on video. Weak enough that given this man's past position "the rule of law" is brought into disrepute. That is a judgement made by the people in the absence of appropriate authority."
"I posted the youtube surveillance footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFISP_PrhFo I did this in the absence of appropriate conduct by the media. They took 16 crucial seconds of a surveillance tape and cut it up out of sequence to fit a misleading statement of events issued by the police the morning after. It is notable that the uniformed officer issuing the inaccurate statement stood behind Mr. Bryant (the accused). When have you EVER seen a police officer make a photo-op like that, in support of a man accused in a death? That inaccurate account was published widely without investigation in both fact and opinion articles. The issue is not with the judiciary, but with the prosecution. For many, the charges seem very weak given Bryant's actions on video. Weak enough that given this man's past position "the rule of law" is brought into disrepute. That is a judgement made by the people in the absence of appropriate authority."
Thursday, October 8, 2009
New Google Streetview Images from Bloor St.
On Oct 7, 2009, Google Streetview launched data from Canadian cities, including Toronto. On Bloor St, the camera run was done quite recently. Many environmental details are apparent relating to the Darcy Allan Sheppard and Michael Bryant security video.
In Google Streetview, you can "look around" by dragging the mouse on the picture, zoom in and out with the + and - icons and navigate along the street.
Here is the route Bryant drove as seen by Google Streetview...
Press the arrows to move along.
Some of the construction barricades and street lines painting are slightly different due to the construction that had occurred between the dates of the Google images and the footage. The security cameras that the footage was taken from are all identifiable, as is the location of the stop line, and exactly where the fateful crosswalk is located. The stop line is unpainted in the Streetview image, but the sign is located well back from the crosswalk. This line is painted in the video.
Here is the black and white security camera on the wall, tree in the field of view and stop line sign:
Zoom out with the - to see the stop line sign with a bike leaning against it.
Move around the view by clicking and dragging the mouse.
Across the street, looks quite similar to the parked white car from the black and white video!!
Maybe a local person parking in the same area? It is parked farther forward on streetview, rather than closer to the no parking sign, you can seen the shadow of scaffolding behind it in the video footage.
Here is the colour footage camera on the corner of the Benneton store, looking west:
Here is the lethal hydrant and mailbox and other curbside obstacles Sheppard was dragged into.
Turn and look across the street. The construction is in the curb lane, rather than in the center lane as was the case August 31, 2009. This is where Bryant is on the wrong side of the road.
Here is the 3rd camera:
View Larger Map
To the left of it is the banner seen on the streetlight in the 3rd clip:
Around the corner and down half a block is the Park Hyatt where Bryant finally parked:
Recently, this whole situation was written about in an opinion piece in this months Canadian Business.
That is all for now.. stay tuned around the date of October 19th when Michael Bryant has a court date.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)