"You're just taking advantage of me because I'm poor. You're taking advantage of me because I didn't have money to compel rabbis and other experts to come here and testify. What you're doing is rotten and wicked. This is a miscarriage of justice." This outraged reaction to a Crown Attorney's cross-examination highlighted the trial of a British Columbia in a sentencing hearing over the botched circumcision of a then-four year old boy. The defendant, who can only be identified as D.J.W. has already been found guilty of criminal negligence and is facing a one to two year jail term and a three-year probation period.
According to evidence presented in the original trial, DJW's son (known only as DJ) was born prematurely and couldn't be circumcised at birth because of his low birth weight. A former Jehovah's witness, DJW attempted to circumcise himself in 2004 or 2005 after reading the books of Richard Hoskins who advocates circumcision and a "Biblical" lifestyle. Despite medical complications which required suturing in a hospital, DJW investigated having his son circumcised and was told that it wasn't advisable for a four-year old boy. He was also told that the operation would cost $2000-5000 (circumcisions aren't covered under provincial health plans).
In April 2007, he decided to do the circumcision himself. After telling DJ that the operation would give him "extra special protection from God", he laid down garbage bags on his kitchen floor and gave his son honey wine for anesthetic. He then used a razor blade to cut away the boy's foreskin but, due to complications, the circumcision was later completed in a hospital. Police charged DJW with criminal negligence causing bodily harm after the incident.
The sentencing hearing has been adjourned until March 25 until a new psychiatric assessment report can be prepared. The sentencing judge has not ruled out the possibility of a conditional sentence.
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