In August 2009, former Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant was involved in a fatal collision between his car and a cyclist, Darcy Allan Sheppard. According to media and witness reports, following the initial collision, Sheppard, who was clutching onto Bryant’s car, was brutally killed as Bryant swerved his car toward trees, a mailbox, and a fire hydrant, slamming Sheppard’s body into these objects (1). Witnesses at the scene reported that Bryant driving Sheppard into these objects appeared to be deliberate, and said Bryant clearly “meant to knock him off.” (2)
Many members of the public are shocked and outraged with Bryant’s conduct—not only on the night of the accident, but also in his actions in the days, months, and years since. Bryant has also consistently demonstrated a lack of integrity and an absence of compassion toward the victim. In the days following the collision, Bryant even hired a PR company that shamefully worked to publicly discredit the victim (3).
Many members of the public also feel that Bryant received preferential treatment by the police, media, and justice system as a result of his political power. Moreover, many believe that criminal charges against Bryant should not have been dropped, and that the dismissal of these charges was not a reflection of the facts of the case, but a consequence of Bryant having exploited his political clout in his own favor.
Given the above, but also just as a matter of very basic decency, we call on Penguin Canada to halt plans to release Bryant’s book. For Penguin Canada or Michael Bryant to attempt to profit, in any way, from the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard is profoundly shameful, shocking, and offensive. We call on Penguin to stop the publication of “28 Seconds,” and to sever their business relationship with Michael Bryant.
http://www.movingtargetzine.com/article/michael-bryant-to-publish-book-about-28-seconds-that-led-to-death-of-darcy-allan-sheppard
http://www.change.org/petitions/penguin-canada-stop-publication-of-michael-bryants-book#