RE: MEDIA CONFERENCE, May 23, 2013, NATIVE CANADIAN CENTRE OF TORONTO, 16 SPADINA ROAD, TORONTO ON M5R 2S7
There are serious questions and concerns about a statement read at a May 25, 2010 court hearing by Special Prosecutor Richard Peck and about an “Executive Summary,” condensed from that statement and distributed to media and others afterward.
Documents raise troubling questions regarding prosecutor's decision to drop charges against former Attorney General.
Darcy Allan Sheppard’s father has released the police collision reconstruction report, officers’ memo books, summary records of 911 calls and other documents that point to questions about freelance prosecutor, Richard Peck’s explanation of his decision that relate to his son’s death.The police reconstruction report contains statements from nineteen eyewitnesses, none of whom mention Michael Bryant’s car stalling.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2013
Victim’s father to release Freedom of Information documents online, May 21, and raise questions and concerns at media conference, May 23
On 31 August 2009, cyclist Darcy Allan “Al” Sheppard died as a result of an altercation involving motorist Michael Bryant, who was then head of Invest Toronto and had recently been Attorney General for Ontario in the Dalton McGuinty government.
FEATURING THE TORONTO PREMIER OF “MURDER OF COURIERS”
It’s time once again for the 4th annual MAYDAY Alleycat fundraiser for the Bicycle Messenger Emergency Fund (BMEF). This year’s race takes place in Toronto on Saturday May 4th.
This year’s event includes the long awaited Toronto premier of the new Vancouver messenger film, “Murder of Couriers” on Sunday May 5th at the Royal Theatre. proceeds from the premier will also benefit the BMEF. Visit the facebook event page for more information.
Are you a bike messenger or ex-bike messenger? Would you like to contribute to a zine/anthology of Bike Messenger Stories?
A new project is looking for writing by former & current couriers, with the topic at least somewhat tangential to the job. Tentative deadline for submissions is March 1.
More details from the Facebook page:
My general idea is a self published print on demand type thing. Its not designed to make money, more of something for messengers by messengers. Any one who contributes can buy one at cost and for others maybe a $1 or $2 markup. If it does make any money, it’ll be donated to one of the BMAs.
I figure the final format will depend on the number of contributors and keeping it affordable. If there’s further interest, maybe additional issues will follow and then a fancy Best Of. That’s for the future though.
If you’re interested in writing something or know someone who might be (I’d really like this to reach the offline folks as well), please get in touch and I’ll get you whatever form of contact info you prefer.
Thanks and don’t forget to spread the word!
795
Visit the Facebook page for Bike Messenger Stories for contact and more information.
Mike Rankin
Toronto bike messenger Mike Rankin, 56 was killed after being struck by a taxi on Wednesday November 7. Rankin, who was wearing a helmet, suffered sever head injuries when he was hit at the intersection of Richmond Street and University Avenue by a taxi driver who said he was clearing the light. Rankin worked for Zap/Cys Courier house (#62)
“Clearing the light” is a term often used to describe a driver who upon seeing his light turn to yellow he puts his foot on the gas to speed through the intersection as the light turns to red. It’s also sometimes referred to as running a red light.
Most bike messengers are killed by large vehicles in the downtown core. It’s quite rare for a bike messenger to be killed by a car as speeds in the core are often slower. In this case Rankin’s helmet was destroyed by the car upon impact.
Toronto messengers are holding a memorial ride today (Friday November 9) at 5pm at the corner of Richmond St and University Avenue.
This is a great documentary about New York City bike messengers from 1988. It was shown at the 1998 Cycle Messenger World Championships in Washington,DC during the messenger film festival at the Kennedy Center.
FIFTH, PARK AND MADISON is also included here.It starts at 19:35 of the video. It includes some good coverage of the proposed New York City bike ban that targeted messengers in 1988.
It will be shown again on September 28, 2012 at the Great Hall in New York.
It’s time to call for nominations for this year’s Markus Cook Award for services to the international messenger community.
This will be the 15th year that the award is presented. It was started by Buffalo Bill in 1998, to remember Markus and to draw attention to messengers whose work benefits all of us.
From the IFBMA’s Markus Cook Award page:
“The MCA for services to the International Messenger Community is not a prize for winning a race. At the time the Award was conceived, CMWC was beginning to be more about the racing than the happening. I [ Buffalo Bill] wanted to re-establish the spirit of the championships, to restate the reason that we all come to this event every year.
The MCA is a reflection of the axiom that everyone who comes to a CMWC is a winner, whether they race or not.
Markus himself was very much in love with the CMWC, and in many ways he was the unlikeliest bike racer imaginable. He was several other things, of course. Editor of Mercury Rising messenger zine, unofficial spokesperson of the SFBMA, leader of L Sid, and a friend to all. The enthusiasm of Markus brought CMWC and the international messenger community toSan Francisco, and it saddens many people to this day that he did not live to see it.
This award is for people that inspire and empower the wider messenger community, that put all of us before themselves.”
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Dodges Traffic in ‘Premium Rush’
New York Times, August 16, 2012
It took a lot of nerve for the director David Koepp to include a chase under an elevated New York City train in “Premium Rush” about a bike messenger’s frantic race to deliver a package from one end of Manhattan to the other.
…….
Mr. Koepp’s vision was confirmed early on when George Aguilar, a seasoned assistant director and stunt coordinator, asked one of the stunt doubles, a real-life bike messenger, Austin Horse, to “ride as fast as you can.”
“Really?” Mr. Horse replied in Mr. Aguilar’s retelling, “I’m pretty fast.”
With camera rolling, Mr. Aguilar said, he was stunned at how fast Mr. Horse accelerated from a standstill to a winding weave in deep traffic. When he showed the footage to Mr. Koepp, Mr. Aguilar said, “Now we know what this movie is about.” (Danny MacAskill, a Scottish street stunt cyclist whose jaw-dropping YouTube videos garner millions of views, is another double.)
Congratulations to the 2012 CMWC Champions:
Craig Etheridge from Seattle, USA
and
Josephine Reitzel from Lausanne, Switzerland
Check the official results at Chicago CMWC .
