Protester's moral-corruption charge won't be pursued by the CrownSHAWN BERRY berry.shawn@dailygleaner.com Published Tuesday April 24th, 2007 Appeared on page A4 An anti-abortion crusader arrested while displaying a graphic image of an aborted fetus outside the Morgentaler Clinic last year won't face criminal charges. Suzie Ryan, 50, has been told the Crown won't pursue the charge of moral corruption against her for the Sept. 26 incident. Ryan displayed the sign just weeks after an Ontario-based group called Show the Truth generated a firestorm of controversy by displaying graphic images of abortions along streets in the city. People offended by the images - and people offended their children were exposed to the images - called on police and the city to put an end to the protests. At the time of Ryan's arrest, police admitted the charge was "uncharted territory." In the end, a Crown prosecutor refused to endorse the charge. A spokeswoman for the attorney general's office said no other charges are being considered in the matter. Ryan is the wife of Peter Ryan, executive director of New Brunswick Right to Life. Ryan said Monday she was pleased she won't face a criminal charge and felt her arrest last fall was wrong. Ryan said Monday she wouldn't rule out using such pictures again. The images, she said, are "very effective." "It upsets people, but in a good way. It pushes people thinking about what happens in an abortion," she said, wearing a small pin on her lapel representing the size of a fetus' feet 12 weeks into conception. Ryan is attempting to get her placard back. The sign was seized by police upon her arrest. "I'm waiting to get it back," she said Monday. Asked if she'll use the sign again, her husband Peter answered: "She'll be free to do so." |
