Federal Court Justice Robin Camp takes his seat at a Canadian Judicial Council inquiry in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
September 06, 2016 - 9:00 PM
CALGARY - A woman chastised by a judge during a sexual assault trial for not keeping her knees together is to testify at a hearing into whether he should keep his job.
Justice Robin Camp's comments while he was a provincial judge in Calgary led to the Alberta Appeal Court ordering a new trial for the man he acquitted.
The remarks also prompted complaints that resulted in him having to appear before a Canadian Judicial Council committee.
Presenting counsel Marjorie Hickey says the woman is to talk about how the judge's comments made her feel.
Camp is also to testify about how he has taken sensitivity training since he made the comments.
Hickey says the committee not only will consider the comments themselves, but also the impact they have had on the community.
Camp's lawyer Frank Addario says his client isn't perfect but he is a good judge.
He says Camp immediately apologized for being insensitive and isn't the "caricature" he has been made out to be.
Court transcripts show Camp also questioned the woman’s morals, suggested that her attempts to fight off her attacker were feeble and described her as “the accused” throughout the trial.
Hearings such as this are not common. There have only been 11 since the council was created in 1971
The judge has indicated he wants to remain on the bench.
It’s alleged Camp made comments that “reflected an antipathy” toward laws meant to protect vulnerable witnesses, engaged in “stereotypical or biased thinking” and asked the complainant questions that relied on “discredited, stereotypical assumptions” of how one should behave following a sexual assault.
The review committee will make recommendations to the full judicial council. If it decides Camp should be removed from the bench, the final decision lies with the federal justice minister.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016