This - is

Courtroom 105

I guess I can never be a reporter. I lost it in the courtroom today --just reddening face and sniffling. And then it was like a spigot --the uncontrollable one-gusher-of-a-cry and I bolted.

I couldn't take the Bullying anymore.

I'm used to this kind of discipline where someone in authority plays the lowest card he can to make his point. You know, do your best to play the lowest discipline card to correct a behaviour. That's Justice --treat a citizen accused of a crime the way you yourself would hope to be treated if you stood in his shoes.

I'm not religious --not by a long stretch but I prayed just before everyone entered Room 105. I prayed the head-bowed-kind-of-prayed for the first time since I can't remember when. I prayed for Clayton Ruby to find Just the Right Words.

I prayed for Clayton Ruby to find Just the Right Words because if Clayton Ruby Can't Fight City Hall, what hope do any of the rest of us have when City Hall needs fighting?

Scribbled notes.

I'm going to share the last few scribblings in my notes so that you can see 75 year old Mr. Antonio Batista the way that I did today. Have to set the stage first.

Mr. Batista was on the witness stand. Words in italics/bold are directly from my notes.

At one point Mr. Batista revealed that he'd written Hazel McCallion for help after he failed to get responses from Pat Saito. The Mayor never answered him either. The question was raised --why he was angry that Pat Saito didn't answer him but not angry with Hazel McCallion. Here is what Mr. Batista said:

"She is 86 years old. She might be too tired to write back."

One of the issues he wrote Councillor Pat Saito about was to get drinking fountains in the parks. His reason?

"The kids deserve a little better in their life."

When he was asked about his experience so far being charged --legal expenses, the stress, Mr. Batista said that if there's ever a (city) problem that:

"we better to forget about it."

I can't remember the exact context for Mr. Batista's next remark. All I can say is it hit home. I scribbled his exact words.

"--and that City Centre is filled with policeman to catch people going in there."

Mr. Batista was incorrect. They're not "policeman". It's common for citizens to confuse Mississauga Corporate Security with Police. But the black uniforms are not "policeman". I sensed Mr. Batista's voice quiver. I guess his vibes began resonating in me.

But it was his next remark that did it.

My notes say:

* 7 - 10 only school for 3 yr."

"Mississauga" is going up against a 75 year old man with prostate cancer who went to school for only three years in his native Portugal. Schooling from age 7 to 10.

There's something inside me that can't tolerate people being Bullied --especially the Young and the Old. When I heard "From 7 to 10" --that's when I ripped-and-raged. Tears just burst out.

My ears heard the Old Man testify --but my eyes saw the Child back in Portugal.

First time I've experienced Young and Old bullied together. And we get to do this all over again tomorrow.

Pat Saito at 8:53 am outside Courtroom 105.

Throughout this all, I keep asking myself two questions:

"What would Edward R. Murrow do?"

"What would he want me to do?"

COURTROOM SUMMARY --BLOGged Tuesday, May 29th --the Morning After. (There'll be some repetition from last night's entry --above)

Courtroom Quotes:

I share these as quotes (scribbled as I heard them) from The Antonio Batista "Knowingly Utter a Threat to Cause Death to Pat Saito" Trial, May 28, 2007.

The Charge:
"knowingly utter a threat to cause death to Pat Saito"

Regarding why a letter was never sent to Antonio Batista.

"I had a computer crash and three months of email was lost." Councillor Pat Saito.

Regarding Mr. Batista's run-a-around and finally receiving a letter months later.

"...not acceptable and I agree with you 100% on that." Councillor Pat Saito.

VIDEOTAPED INTERROGATION:
Quotes from the 45 minutes videotape of Police Interrogation of Mr. Batista. (Ian McCall and John Mans interrogating officers)

"Obviously you've become very frustrated." (Peel Regional Police)

"I don't want to turn this into a big deal." (Peel Regional Police)

"Do you believe in owning up to the truth when you make a mistake?" (Peel Regional Police)

"It was not just her (Saito) who was responsible." Antonio Batista

"We all say things we don't mean." (Peel Regional Police)

"You need to take responsibility." (Peel Regional Police)

"I want to make sure these people do the job the right way." Antonio Batista

"I need to know 'Are you crazy' or frustrated... ...You are frustrated. You were shut out by City Hall..." (Peel Regional Police)

"It's a criminal offence to threaten to kill somebody." (Peel Regional Police)

"Is Antonio a crazy person and wants to kill Pat Saito?" (Peel Regional Police) Mr. Batista laughs. (Note if the public could only view this portion of the tape, you'd know the answer to "Is Antonio a crazy person and wants to kill Pat Saito?"

"How does someone reading this know it's a joke?" (Peel Regional Police)

"I want to believe you." (Peel Regional Police)

"This is just a poem." Antonio Batista (voice cracking)

Comment when Mr. Batista was advised of his arrest and the condition of no contact with Pat Saito or City Hall:

"Why should I talk to her when she won't talk to me?"

ON THE WITNESS STAND -- Antonio Batista answering questions from Clayton Ruby. All quotes are from Antonio Batista.

"I am 75 years old and I'm still a little shy."

"I wanted people to know that Pat Saito wasn't doing her job."

"She (Saito) does not think how you feel."

"We should be treated well by these people (City Hall) and we are not."

Mr. Batista is a former resident of Toronto. His comments regarding Mississauga delivery of services:

"I believe that the City of Mississauga should not be any less than Toronto."

"And that City Centre is filled with policeman to catch people going in there." (Clarification. Mr. Batista is incorrect. The black uniforms are not "policeman" but rather, Mississauga Corporate Security.

Then Mr. Batista revealed that he'd only had three years of education back in Portugal between the ages of seven and ten. I couldn't get down his words verbatim. I began to cry and had to leave the courtroom.