COURT DECISION ON MICHAEL ELLIS RAISES GOOD QUESTIONS

(OSOYOOS TIMES — Feb. 28, 2007) –

It is tempting to blame the media for sensationalizing criminal cases. The simple fact is crime stories make great copy and sell newspapers. They stir up debate in the community.
Popular TV programs “ from Perry Mason and Columbo to L.A. Law and CSI “ prove the public has a fascination with crime and punishment.
And at some point, crime or the fear of crime affects us all.
A number of people in this and neighbouring communities were recently affected by the activities of alleged truck thief Michael Ellis.
So, as the Osoyoos Times followed the dramatic case of this alleged truck thief, from weekly police reports to his arrest in July of last year and through the recently concluded trial last month, we waited to learn the verdict and report it to our readers.
The not guilty verdict was a shocker. The judge, weighing the eyewitness testimony of a 27-year RCMP veteran against the testimony of the accused's own brother, alleged kidnapper and car thief Christopher Ellis “ reveals in his Reasons for Judgment he is pretty sure the Ellis brothers are not being truthful.
Yet Mr. Justice Gale Sinclair finds in favour of Michael Ellis, falling back on the maxim better a guilty man goes free than an innocent man be condemned.
We can only wonder, if Justice Sinclair doubts the testimonies of Michael and Christopher Ellis, what more did he need to convince him beyond a reasonable doubt to arrive at a guilty verdict?