I was Ashley’s last lawyer. ..about 2 months before her death. I represented her in Kitchener court on 2 counts of assault (against prison staff of course). At that time her release date was within weeks. I tried to persuade the judge not to add any time to her sentence, that all her anger was directed to the institutions and that there was nothing to indicate her violence would continue post-release. The crown, to their subsequent embarrassment, argued for 4 more months of jail. The judge ultimately tacked 2 extra months on. This must have been crushing for her. In my dealings with Ashley, she was calm, cogent and civil.
On the day she came to court extra security was put in place. 6 officers brought her into the courtroom in cuffs and shackles….normally only one officer is needed. In my 20 years I’ve never seen any criminal treated this way. You’d think she was a Montreal mob boss!! It is my belief that she is a product of her environment; specifically, as your students said last night, the failings of a system that incarcerates the mentally ill.
The students did a wonderful job at identifying the underlying issues with the institutions of justice and corrections. It was a very powerful production, made more so by the sharing of personal crisis and tragedy. There was not a weak link among the actors nor a weak portion of the script. I hope they are proud of themselves and that this has been cathartic. Please pass along my appreciation to the author and your class. Well done!
- email from Stephanie Krug, criminal defense lawyer, Kitchener-Waterloo