Pubdate: Fri, 27 Feb 2015
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2015 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.winnipegsun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.winnipegsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: Dean Pritchard
Page: 12

HOUSE ARREST FOR 'FREEMAN'

A so-called "freeman" who claimed justice officials had no right to 
prosecute him for running a marijuana grow operation in his basement 
has been sentenced to 13 months house arrest.

Scott David Peters, 45, argued he is not bound by Canadian law, but 
by a natural law "to do no harm."

"There is a big difference between a person thinking that a 
particular law is wrong and a person who actually disregards that 
law," Justice Robert Dewar told Peters.

"This sentence is intended to reinforce the notion that a person is 
not entitled to pick and choose which laws to obey - they must all be 
obeyed," Dewar said. "Consider this sentence an encouragement to 
start acting like a responsible citizen and govern yourself accordingly."

The evidence against Peters was simple and overwhelming. In April 
2012, police executed a search warrant at Peters' Boyd Avenue home 
and found 58 marijuana plants in the basement. Documents found in the 
kitchen, including a residential tenancy agreement and change of 
address form, conclusively tied Peters to the home.

Peters represented himself at trial. During a long and rambling 
closing address to the jury he referenced everything from the 
Communist Manifesto to government mind control.

Jurors returned with a guilty verdict almost instantly.

Prosecutors recommended a jail sentence of four to six months. Dewar 
said a lengthier sentence was required but ruled he should serve it 
in the community, as was allowed by law at the time of his arrest.

"There is a temptation to penalize Mr. Peters for his approach to 
defending the charge, but yielding to that temptation is not 
permitted by our law," Dewar said. "Mr. Peters had every right to 
require the court to formally prove its case before a jury."

Dewar fined Peters $1,000 and ordered that he complete 100 hours 
community service work.

Peters previously told court he has no plans to grow marijuana again.

"This is hardly an encouraging sign of remorse, but I view it as a 
recognition on his part that what he did was wrong or at least not 
worth the aggravation of doing it again," Dewar said.

Peters' legal troubles aren't over. He is set to stand trial next 
month on child pornography charges and again will be representing himself.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom