Achi news desk-
Michael Gordon Jackson, the man on trial after being charged with violating a custody order for allegedly kidnapping his daughter in late 2021 to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, took the stand Monday.
Jackson, 53, who is representing himself in the trial, is also the defense’s first witness.
He began his testimony by admitting that he was “nervous.”
“I fully believe that through the evidence and testimony presented last week, the Crown has already proven my case,” Jackson said in his opening statement.
Jackson took the jury through the series of events that began well before November 2021, describing the divorce with his ex-wife and now the mother of their daughter as “bad.”
“When the marriage broke up, it was not good,” he added, “over the years things got complicated in the courts.”
According to the couple’s custody order that existed at the time of the alleged events, the seven-year-old girl’s mother had primary custody of the couple’s child at the time.
The order states that the mother had the final say regarding the daughter’s health and education, but must consult with the father before making a decision.
“When COVID-19 came out, I was confused,” Jackson told the court. “And as a father, I was concerned about [my daughter] contracted COVID.”
Jackson testified that he began doing research online and on YouTube about COVID-19 and the vaccine.
“There was no way I would let them inject this substance into my seven-year-old daughter,” he said. “Things have become more desperate for me.”
According to Jackson’s testimony, he tried for eight months to have a dialogue with his ex-wife about vaccinating their child.
Last week the mother testified that she had not made a decision on whether to vaccinate her child.
“I’ve been waiting for word from the government and Saskatchewan Health,” she said.
Jackson added that he wanted to go through the court system to do so.
“The court systems were very biased against the vaccine and against fathers,” he claimed.
Jackson then described a court hearing in which he claimed the mother’s attorney rejected a request that they decline to vaccinate the child to allow the judge to make a decision.
“It created a sense of urgency [in me]” Jackson said. “I felt [they] He would take her and store her.”
He felt, “there is no remedy in court”, and went into hiding following the hearing in November 2021.
“My intention was not to disappear for the rest of my life,” Jackson added. “I felt I had to.”
Jackson said he stopped the girl so she couldn’t get the vaccine.
“I imagined [the mother] will drive her straight to the clinic,” he added.
911 calls
Two 911 calls were played in court as part of Jackson’s defense from Dec. 1, 2021, before he went completely into hiding with the couple’s child.
Jackson said they were supposed to show fear he had while dealing with Carnduff RCMP.
In the calls, Jackson claimed that RCMP tried to break into his home, where he and the couple’s daughter were at the time.
The judge ruled that what Jackson said during the conversations would not be taken as evidence by the jury, but to give them an idea of Jackson’s thought process at the time of the events.
During the conversations, Jackson claimed that his life and the child’s were in danger by the police.
“I’m scared [Carnduff RCMP] We’re going to do something,” Jackson told the dispatcher.
After that, the sender asked to confirm that he did not want to talk to friends from the same section.
“No,” Jackson responded. “I do not.”
Jury letter
During proceedings Monday morning, the jury took a recess to allow Jackson to explain to the judge the reasoning behind playing the 911 tapes.
As the hearing continued, the deputy sheriff of the court brought a piece of paper into the room and handed it to Judge Heather McMillian-Brown.
The paper was then handed over to Jackson’s Amicus Curiae, Brady Knight, then to Crown prosecutor Zoe Kim-Zeglar and then to Jackson himself on the witness stand.
Judge McMillian-Brown said the note was for the jury and mentioned “concerning looks” from Jackson’s support man, Mr Allen.
Allen, known as “McKenzie” to the court, sat next to Jackson and helped take notes during the proceedings.
He does not act as a legal advisor.
Upon his return from the short break, Allen did not return to his regular duties and Jackson said he was asked not to return to the courtroom.
The judge asked the jury to take nothing from Allen’s actions about Jackson’s testimony or his credibility.
more to come…
