HTTP/1.0 200 OK Content-Type: text/html Extra Prosecutors Hired For Pot Cases 
Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456

EXTRA PROSECUTORS HIRED FOR POT CASES

WATERLOO - Starting this September, Waterloo Region should have a satellite 
office staffed by three full-time federal drug prosecutors to handle the 
burgeoning marijuana homegrow cases and other drug charges.

The recent resignations of two local lawyers who prosecuted federal cases 
in the region, as well as an inability to find qualified lawyers to replace 
Gerry Taylor and Pat Flynn prompted the government's decision to open a 
satellite office here, Stephane Marinier, acting senior counsel for the 
Ontario Region of the federal Justice Department, said yesterday, minutes 
after he received the official OK for the new office.

Now, Marinier said he has to find a location for the satellite office, 
preferably near the courts in downtown Kitchener.

He also said no decision has been made yet on whether the government will 
seek applications for the positions of federal prosecutors or draw from the 
department's current supply of staff lawyers.

"We are hoping to be up and running in September. That would be the goal," 
Marinier said.

This move towards having full-time drug prosecutors was prompted by Flynn's 
decision to quit last month after eight years as a drug prosecutor.

His resignation closely followed the same decision by Taylor after 18 years 
as senior drug prosecutor.

Both men said the $82 an hour they received to do the work wasn't enough to 
cover their office expenses. Taylor and Flynn have returned to their 
private law practices where they can earn about three times as much.

For the past several months, two or three staff lawyers from the Toronto 
office of the Department of Justice have been filling in for Flynn and 
Taylor, but Marinier said that is no longer practical.

"We will now be in a much better position to serve the community and the 
courts," he said.
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