According to news reports, Spalding Gray, 62, has been reported missing by his family. The brilliant author, actor and playwright has apparently suffered from depression in recent years.

Our prayers are with his family as we hope for his safe return.

The public hearing into the circumstances surrounding the death of Jeff Berg is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 19, 2004 in Vancouver. Berg, 37 was apprehended by a member of the Vancouver Police Department on October 22, 2000. He suffered severe head and neck trauma, died at the scene, and was revived by paramedics. After two days on life support, he died of his injuries.

Mr. Ward has been retained to represent the interests of the family at the hearing, which is expected to last three weeks.

For more information, please view the family’s website: www.justiceforjeff.com

On Monday, January 12, 2004, the BC Coroners Service will commence an inquest into the death of Thomas Evon Stevenson, who was shot by Vancouver police on December 7, 2002 as he sat in a disabled car in the 400 block of East Pender Street. The inquest will be held at Coroner’s Court, Suite 2035, 4720 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC and is expected to last one week. Cameron Ward will be representing the interests of Mr. Stevenson’s family in the proceedings.

It is disappointing that despite all of humankind’s advances, war and violence still remain the methods of choice for resolving disputes in many parts of the world. Please spare a thought for all those who suffered injuries or loss as a result of war, whether they are Canadian, American, Iraqi, Afghan, Israeli, Palestinian, white, black or brown.

Peace.

The apprehension of Saddam Hussein raises thorny legal and moral questions for his captors. They could ship Saddam to Guantanamo Bay and let him languish there in legal limbo for the rest of his days. Alternatively, using the Manuel Noriega case as a precedent, the Americans could fly him to the U.S. for trial. President Bush could certainly find some acceptable courts in Texas, Virginia or Florida, the most fervent death penalty states in the Union.

However, the pesky and meddlesome United Nations keeps raising issues of international law, trial fairness and the inappropriateness of capital punishment. Even France and Germany have the nerve to chime in with similar concerns.

What to do then?