By Steve Buist
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 8, 2007)
Flight risk? Potentially dangerous suspect? Prisoner of war? None of the above?
That pretty much sums up the range of possibilities when it comes to the ongoing legal case of Trevor Miller.
The 31-year-old Six Nations man has been held without bail for the past five months after being arrested on charges of assault and theft stemming from a June incident in Caledonia near the site of a disputed housing development.
Since his arrest on August 8 on the Grassy Narrows Reserve north of Kenora, Miller has been denied bail on more than one occasion.
He is scheduled to appear in Cayuga court today for another bail review.
Miller's case has drawn increasing support from those who believe the justice system is treating him unfairly. Peaceful demonstrations have been held outside the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre, where Miller is being held, and at Queen's Park.
At his last bail hearing in December, one of Miller's legal advisers described Miller as a "prisoner of war."
Standing on the steps of the Cayuga courthouse, Stuart Myiow told the crowd that the root of the problem can be traced to the decision by Canada and the United States to not ratify a United Nations declaration on indigenous rights.
"They've made a declaration of war against native people," said Myiow, part of the Mohawk Traditional Council from Kahnawake in Quebec.
"Trevor Miller is the first person being held under these conditions," Myiow added.
Janie Jamieson, a Six Nations spokesperson, doesn't believe the term "prisoner of war" is too extreme to describe Miller's situation.
"Some people might, but the reality is we're not at peace here," said Jamieson.
"I believe everybody that has been charged, it's been with the attempt to make a lesson out of whoever it may be," she added.
"The so-called justice system is supposed to be applied fairly and equally to everyone and in his specific case, it would appear that it hasn't been."
Miller was charged in connection with a highly-publicized incident last June 9, when a CH TV cameraman was allegedly assaulted and a U.S. Border Patrol car was stolen briefly.
Contacted at the detention centre Saturday, Miller said he needed to get advice from his lawyer before commenting.
Six Nations elected band council Chief David General declined to comment on Miller's case.
At the time of his December bail hearing, Miller was still facing other charges related to an altercation on New Year's Day 2006 involving his girlfriend, who was seven months' pregnant at the time.
Miller had been charged with assault last January and then charged with breach of recognizance for failing to attend a June 16 court hearing after he had been released on bail.
Miller pleaded guilty to those two charges in Brantford court three weeks ago and was sentenced to time served plus one day, as well as one year on probation.
Jamieson said she had heard about the other charges against Miller but that it shouldn't be a factor in his current bail situation.
"Even if that is the case, what right do they have to use that as leverage to detain him because they are two separate incidents," she said.
Jamieson also said a fundraising dinner/social will be held Friday to help raise money to support those who have been charged since the start of the Caledonia housing site occupation.