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12TuesdayApril72015JUSTICEMISSINGMURDEREDWOMENByMEAGANWOHLBERGWarningarticlecontainsgraphiccontentNorthernersaddedtheirvoicetothena-tionalmovementcallingforjusticeforCindyGladuelastThursdaycomingtogetherinYel-lowknifetopraydrumandmarchinmemoryoftheindigenouswomanwhosedeathandtheresultingcourtdecisionsentshockwavesacrossthecountrylastmonth.GladueaFirstNationssexworkerand36year-oldmotheroftwobledtodeathinahotelbathtubinEdmontonin2011.Twoweeksagothemanaccusedofkillingher-OntariotruckerBradleyBarton-wasfoundnotguiltybyajurytheacquittalspark-ingoutrageinanationwherecallsforactiononmissingandmurderedindigenouswomenhavegrownloudlyoverthepastseveralyears.LastThursdayCrownprosecutorsan-nouncedtheywouldbeappealingthedeci-sionascitiesacrossCanadaheldanationaldayofprotestinhonourofGladue.YellowknifemarchersjoinedtogetherThurs-daymorningbyFrameLakeforafeedingofthereceremonyprayersanddrummingbe-foremarchingtothecourthouseandendingwithacommunitypotluckattheBakerCentre.MarchorganizerCharlotteOvervoldsaidtheimpactofGladuesdeathlikeallindig-enouswomenwhohavegonemissingorbeenmurderedaffectsherpersonallyanddemandsactionbothatthecommunityandnationallevel.IvemetandhelpedgirlswhogrewupintosexworkersIveknowngirlswhohavegonemissingshesaid.Myownbirthmotherendedupalmostbecomingmissingandmurderedaftershewasabductedandbrutallyassaulted.Itsthroughherstrengthandcouragethatshesheretodaybutatthesametimesome-thingwastakenfromher.Icarrythataround.Overvoldsaidthenumbersofimpactedwomenandfamilieshaveskyrocketedoverthepastdecadetobecomeanationalissueneedingimmediategovernmentresponseintheformofaninquiryandsubsequentaction.AlmosteverypersonIknowknowssome-onewhoismissingormurderedshesaid.Cindywaslovedandsowerealltheotherwomenandgirlswhowentmissing.Itshap-peningacrossCanadaithappensuphereintheNorth.ItsnotjustontheHighwayofTearsitssomuchbiggerthanthat.OnacommunityleveltheNorthshouldbesup-portingthis.Theyshouldbedemandingan-swersandtheyshouldbedemandingjustice.ManywereoutragedbythewayGladuesbodywaspresentedduringthemonth-longtrialwhereherpreservedpelvicareawasbroughtintophysicallyshowthe11-centi-metrewoundinhervaginalwallthatcausedherdeath.Whileprosecutorsarguedthewoundwascausedbyaweaponthedefencesaiditwastheresultofconsensualroughsexwithoutintentiontoharm.ThejuryfoundBartonnotguiltyofrstdegreemurderormanslaughter.Indigenouscommunitieshavesincecriti-cizedthemakeupofthejurywhichwasdom-inatedbymenanddidnotfeatureasingleindigenousperson.TherewerealsoconcernsaboutevidencebeingexcludedfromthetrialincludingviolentpornographyonBartonslaptopthatshowedwomenbeingtortured.Overvoldsaidthejurysverdictsendsahorrifyingmessagetoindigenouswomenacrossthecountryaboutthevalueofindig-enouswomenslivesandtheefcacyofthejusticesystemindefendingthem.Itsanoutrage.Itsunsettlingandkindofscarybecausehowmanyofuscouldbesub-jecttothatformofso-calledjusticewhichisunjustshesaid.Thewaytheevidencewaspresentedandtheirverdictdoesnotmakesense.Itsnotokay.Itmustbesohardonherfamilytowatchthatpersonwalkfree.ApartfrombringingawarenesstoahumanrightsissueOvervoldsaidthemarchwasalsoabouthonouringGladueandothermissingandmurderedwomen.Werewalkinginmemoryofherofallofourfallensistersshesaid.Weresayingweregoingtorememberthemandnevergoingtoforgetthem.Anditstosendprayerstoallthefamiliesthathavebeenaffectedbythemissingandmurderedwomenthatwelovedsomuch.YellowknifemarchdemandsjusticeforCindyGladueDrumsleadamarchofabout30peopleacrossYellowknifeonThursdayinhonourofCindyGladueaslainindigenouswomanwhoseallegedmurdererwasrecentlyacquittedbyajuryinEdmonton.Crownprosecutorsannouncedlastweektheyplantoappealtheruling.PhotoCaseyKoyczan