David Ahenakew's lawyer says diabetes, extra medication and wine led his client to make the anti-Semitic remarks for which he is now on trial. Speaking outside court Wednesday afternoon, Doug Christie told reporters that he will present evidence that proves his theory as he brings forward his case over the next two days.
"He was certainly not feeling well that day and wouldn't have said these things if he was feeling well," Christie said. "His medication had recently been doubled caused clearly by a chemical imbalance in the blood being related to diabetes. In addition to that he had two glasses of wine the night before. "I think in those circumstances it's pretty obvious that he wasn't measuring his words the way he would normally do."
Christie said he hopes to have the time and the resources to call a medical expert to testify in support of the claim. Failing that, Ahenakew will take the stand to talk about his condition.
Ahenakew, a former senator with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and a member of the Order of Canada, is being tried for the wilful promotion of hatred against an identifiable group. He was charged after he told a Saskatoon StarPhoenix reporter at a First Nations conference two years ago the Jews were a "disease."
Christie has emphasized from the start of the trial that even though his client's views may be unpopular, he never intended to spread hate.
Who would have thought that a combination of meds, diabetes and couple of glasses of wine the night before would produce an anti-Semitic tirade which all goes to show that some people and their lawyers will say just about anything.
(tipped off by Neale News)
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