Elizabeth Bennett (judge)

Justice Elizabeth Bennett is judge of the Supreme Court of British Columbia who heard two of the most politically-charged corruption trials in the Canadian province's history.Fact|date=March 2007

Early life and career

She was educated at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia Law School. She served with the Canadian Forces Primary Reserves, [http://www.army.dnd.ca/6FIELD_ENGINEERS 6th Field Engineer Squardron] .She was appointed to the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada on June 23 1999. [cite web | url=http://www.cmac-cacm.ca/bios/bennett_e.shtml | title=Elizabeth Bennett biography | publisher=Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada | accessdate=2007-03-27]

Casinogate

On August 29 2002, she acquitted former Premier Glen Clark of all criminal charges related to home renovations and other personal benefits received from a constituent, Dimitrios Pilarinos, who was applying for a casino license. The judge said Clark exercised poor judgment but ruled that "there is nothing in his conduct that crosses the line from an act of folly to behaviour calling for criminal sanctions." [cite web | url=http://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/jdb-txt/SC/02/12/2002BCSC1267.htm | title=Her Majesty the Queen against Dimitrios Pilarinos and Glen David Clark: Reasons for Judgement of the Honourable Madam Justice Bennett | publisher=Vancouver Court | accessdate=2007-03-27] The ruling came five years and a day after her appointment to the Supreme Court on August 28 1997. The "Casinogate" scandal came to public attention when news media filmed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) conducting a search warrant inside the private home of the then-Premier.

Graham extradition

In 2004, Bennett ruled that John Graham could be extradited to the United States for trial for the 1975 murder of Anna Mae Aquash, one of the most prominent members of the American Indian Movement. [Smith, Charlie (2007). [http://www.straight.com/article-101128/john-graham-says-native-chiefs-under-fbi-spell John Graham says Native chiefs under FBI spell] . "The Georgia Straight." July 12, 2007]

Basi-Virk Affair

In 2007, she began proceedings on the Basi-Virk Affair where the Minister of Finance's politically-appointed assistant was charged with the sale of benefits related to the province's sale of BC Rail, the publicly-owned railway. The scandal came to public attention when news media filmed the RCMP conducting a search warrant inside the BC Legislature building. The trial is ongoing.

Publications

Justice Bennett also co-authored the 2006 revisions for a guide for judges on giving instructions to the jury, the [http://www.cle.bc.ca/CLE/Publications/Individual+Publications/Books/Summaries/30835.htm Canadian Criminal Jury Instructions (CRIMJI) — Fourth Edition] ISBN 1-55258-456-9.

References