Talk show host apologizes to Justice Cottle, Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan

Radio talk show host and the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) acting communications officer Colin ‘Hitman’ Graham has apologized to Justice Brian Cottle and senior counsel Anthony Astaphan for a post he made on Facebook on April 5.

On Monday, shortly after the judge disallowed an application made by lawyers for the Government to have two petitions filed by the NDP struck out, {{more}}Graham took to his personal Facebook page with suggestions that Astaphan, one of the Government’s lawyers, may have had a hand in the judgement.

“So wait did Mr Ass-to-fan really know ahead of time what Justice Cottle ruling was going to be???….His comments on radio days before the ruling were….it could be a case of win, lose or DRAW…..These were his words….if people follow the judgement properly you would clearly understand what is going on here…..did Mr Ass-to-fan and others really have a hand in this judgement (hence the reason it to (sic) so long) and knew just what it was going to be beforehand????” he posted.

Graham added, “….are these guys all playing Vincentians for fools???? They are continuing to add fuel to fire….and if they continue it will soon explode!!”

The radio personality’s ire may have come about because of the concluding paragraph of the judgement, which reads: “However, having had the benefit of full arguments, I am of the view that such an application, if made at the beginning of the hearing of the petition, is bound to succeed. This indication may be of some assistance to the parties in deciding the way forward and saving costs, time and national uncertainty.”

But in a twist of events, Graham later took down the initial post and replaced it with an apology.

He said, “Yesterday, 4th April 2016, shortly after delivery of the judgment on the application by the Supervisor of Elections to strike out the petitions of Mr Ben Exeter and Mr Lauron Baptiste, I made certain comments on my personal Facebook page. Those comments concerned His Lordship Mr Justice Brian Cottle, who judged the matter, and Senior Counsel Mr Anthony Astaphan, who represented the Supervisor of Elections and other Respondents in the matter.

“I unreservedly and unequivocally apologise for my comments, which were baseless and inappropriate and which were made in the heat of the moment.

“The comments were taken down by me yesterday and in their place today I offer this apology.

“I wish to make it very clear that my comments were not in any way sanctioned by the New Democratic Party, and do not in any way reflect the NDP’s position on the judgment, Justice Cottle, or Mr Astaphan SC.”

Graham did not explain why he took down the initial post, but a number of persons were of the opinion that it may have been defamatory and in contempt of court and that Graham removed it in an effort to avoid legal issues.(LC)