Province 'persecuting' Born With A Tooth

Page 2

The leader of the Lonefighters Society may be a step closet to freedom, says spokesman Devalon Small Legs.

Small Legs said the dismissal by the Court of Queen's Bench in Lethbridge of the province's application for civil contempt charges against Milton Born With A Tooth may be an indication other charges will be "kicked out on the grounds he was protecting what he thought was his property."

Justice Roy Deyell threw out the application saying it lacked detail and was deficient.

The application outlined areas in which it was believed Born With A Tooth had violated an Aug. 29 court injunction preventing further attempts to divert the Oldman River.

Born With A Tooth, who has been twice denied bail, faces two weapons charges arising out of the Lonefighters' attempt to stop construction of the Oldman dam. Both charges and the contempt of court applications stem from a Sept.7 confrontation the Lonefighters had with RCMP and provincial officials.

A Lonefighters supporter said the government is persecuting Born With A Tooth in an attempt to keep him from speaking. "The government ran into an Indian who'll stand up for his rights so they're suppressing him," said Gregg Fry.

Small Legs, who is optimistic his leader will be free, agrees. The province is "keeping him in the system so he can't speak."

Born With A Tooth has been remanded in Calgary until his Nov. 23 preliminary hearing in Lethbridge.