VICTORIA STAFFORD - Aged 8 years - Woodstock, Ontario (Canada)

The Beacon Herald

October 5th 2009

Posted By TARA BOWIE, Sun Media

Not a 'wasted trip' by Rodney Stafford

http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1974000

CJBK

Fri, 16th October 2009

By Miranda Chant

Accused in Stafford Murder Back in Court

http://www.cjbk.com/news/565/1006768

The Chatham Daily News

Oct 16, 2009‎

By Randy Richmond

Accused in Tori Stafford case in Chatham jail

http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2133960

CBC News

Friday, October 16, 2009 | 2:55 PM ET

Stafford murder co-accused makes court appearance

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/windsor/story/2009/10/16/chatham-stafford-court-091016.html

City News

16/10/2009

Man Accused Of Murdering Tori Stafford Appears In Court



http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/60711--man-accused-of-murdering-tori-stafford-appears-in-court

Canadian Press

Oct 17, 2009

Tori Stafford's mother outraged man accused of her murder was moved

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5g7f045AI0QBM_r4TRndV25HYLacg

Sentinel Review

Oct 19, 2009‎

By HEATHER RIVERS

No comment on Rafferty's relocation

http://www.oxfordreview.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2136290

It is approximately 76 miles away (further away from Woodstock).

POSTED IN FULL AS THE LINK IS NOT LOADING - I HAVE USED A CACHED LINK TO GET THE STORY

Chatham Daily News

Oct 20, 2009‎

By ERICA BAJER, THE DAILY NEWS

Prisoner move sparks protest

A demonstration to protest an accused child killer's move from a London jail to the Chatham Jail is planned for Saturday.

Michael Thomas Rafferty, who is charged in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Victoria (Tori) Stafford, was recently moved here from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre.

The transfer and allegations that Rafferty is receiving "special treatment" has sparked anger in both communities. Citizens involved with a Facebook group plan to protest outside the Chatham Jail from 11 a. m. to 1 p. m.

"A lot of people are outraged with Rafferty's move to Chatham," said Bobbie-Jean Brophy, who contacted The Chatham Daily News about the protest.

"He doesn't deserve special treatment."

Brophy said there are rumours that Rafferty is receiving perks including extra telephone time and extended visits.

She said the protesters realize it isn't the jail's fault that Rafferty was moved there and she stressed the demonstration will be peaceful.

But, she said citizens upset about the situation wanted to show their disgust publicly.

"We're hoping it will show many communities care and want to see justice served properly," she said.

Brophy said she believes Stafford's mother, Tara MacDonald, will be attending the protest.

The Daily News was unable to reach Rafferty's lawyer by press time.

www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx%3Fe%3D2137057+Michael+Thomas+Rafferty,+who+is+charged+in+connection+with+the+kidnapping+and+murder+of+Victoria+%28Tori%29+Stafford,+was+recently+moved+here+from+the+Elgin&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:Op_jc4Xx4a8J:www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx%3Fe%3D2137057+Michael+Thomas+Rafferty,+who+is+charged+in+connection+with+the+kidnapping+and+murder+of+Victoria+%28Tori%29+Stafford,+was+recently+moved+here+from+the+Elgin&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a

POSTED IN FULL AS THE LINK IS NOT LOADING - I HAVE USED A CACHED LINK TO GET THE STORY

Chatham Daily News

24th October 2009

By Erica Bajer

Jail protest cancelled

A peaceful protest planned for today at the Chatham Jail has been cancelled.

A group of people who met through the social networking site Facebook.com decided not to protest the move of accused child killer Michael Thomas Rafferty to the Chatham Jail.

Rafferty, who is charged in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Victoria “Tori” Stafford, was recently moved here from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre.

The move sparked outrage and raised concerns that he is receiving special treatment.

The woman who organized the protest, who goes by “Cherished Treasure” on Facebook and didn’t wish to reveal her real name, said she cancelled the demonstration because she is afraid it would help Rafferty later in the case.

“I felt it would be a bad idea to do the protest because it would be ammunition for the defence,” she said.

She said a demonstration could raise issues of whether Rafferty gets a fair trial.

It’s not worth it, she said.

Cherished Treasure, who started a Facebook group protesting Rafferty’s move to the Chatham Jail, said she closed the group, which had 1,500 members.

“People were posting death threats and I just thought ‘It’s not worth it,’” she said.

www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx%3Fe%3D2145578+Rafferty,+who+is+charged+in+connection+with+the+kidnapping+and+murder+of+Victoria+%E2%80%9CTori%E2%80%9D+Stafford,+was+recently+moved+here+from+the+Elgin+Middlesex&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:wMZGi8MHZAEJ:www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx%3Fe%3D2145578+Rafferty,+who+is+charged+in+connection+with+the+kidnapping+and+murder+of+Victoria+%E2%80%9CTori%E2%80%9D+Stafford,+was+recently+moved+here+from+the+Elgin+Middlesex&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&client=firefox-a

The Globe and Mail

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

Ontario to use Amber Alerts more broadly

Changes renew calls for other provinces to review their systems for dealing with possible child abductions

As Ontario revamps its Amber Alert child-abduction notification system to give police the power to issue bulletins in a wider range of cases, there are renewed calls for a standard to apply across the country.

Yesterday, the Ontario Provincial Police announced that the rarely used alerts will now go out if police believe a child has been kidnapped, may be in danger and as long as there's a description of the missing child.

Under the old program, which had only been used 14 times since it was put in place in 2003, police had to confirm there was an abduction, believe the child faced serious bodily harm or death and that there was a description of a suspect or vehicle.

Ontario has also appointed an Amber Alert co-ordinator to oversee the program, train police forces, educate the public and find other ways to improve the system.

"It's definitely ahead of what other jurisdictions are doing," said Marilyne Aalhus, director of development with the Missing Children Society of Canada.

"That's not to say every province will go ahead and make that change. I think it's a good opportunity for them to review their current policy."

Each year, there are 60,000 reports of missing children in Canada, according to the society, but whether an Amber Alert applies in any of those cases is left to a patchwork of rules.

"It's quite political within each department about how the control is handled," said Ms. Aalhus, whose organization took part in the review of the Ontario system, which is overseen by provincial police.

The reforms came in response to the kidnapping and murder of eight-year-old Victoria (Tori) Stafford in Woodstock, Ont. Police did not issue an alert for the girl who vanished last spring outside her school because the case didn't meet the criteria.

(continues)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-to-use-amber-alerts-more-broadly/article1339551/

ifpress.com

30th October 2009, 1:55pm

By BRUCE URQUHART, SUN MEDIA

Tori's father donates thousands to Child Find

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2009/10/30/11574716-sun.html

cjbk News

Thu, 12-11-2009 16:59.

Rafferty back in Court

http://www.cjbk.com/news/565/1021458

Brantford Expositor

16th November 2009

By BRUCE URQUHART

Stafford's cycling raises funds for Child Find

Standing in front of a portrait of his "angel," Rodney Stafford accepted the police donation to Child Find Ontario with a grateful smile.

"Thank you," he said during the presentation at Woodstock's former John Deere plant. "I definitely can't say thank you enough."

Raised through donations from OPP officers across the province and their Woodstock Police Service colleagues, the $3,724.50 donation to the not-for-profit Child Find Ontario brought the total raised through Stafford's Kilometres for Kids to more than $50,000.

"It's still carrying on," said Stafford, who was joined at the ceremony by his mother, Doreen Graichen, sister Randi Millen, brother-in-law Steve Millen and three-month-old niece Sylvia. "It's seven months after Victoria disappeared and there's a lot of support still out there."

The police fundraising was inspired by Stafford's successful pledge to cycle from Woodstock to Edmonton as a tribute to his late daughter Victoria, who was abducted in April shortly after leaving school. The eight-year-old girl's remains were eventually discovered in July, two months after a Woodstock man and woman were arrested for her murder.

(continues)

http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2177183

Winnipeg Free Press

17/02/2010

Michael Rafferty remanded to April 23 after hearing in Tori Stafford murder case

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/michael-rafferty-remanded-to-april-23-after-hearing-in-tori-stafford-murder-case-84666532.html

The Canadian Press

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Case of Stafford slaying co-accused held over

The case against one of two people charged in the death eight-year-old Victoria "Tori" Stafford, of Woodstock, Ont., has been held over until April 16.

Terri-Lynn McClintic, 19, earlier waived her right to a preliminary hearing to allow the case to go directly to trial.

A judicial pretrial, a private meeting between the Crown, defence and the judge, will be held before McClintic's next appearance on the 16th.

McClintic's co-accused, Michael Rafferty, appeared in court last month via video link and was ordered remanded in custody until April 23. Both are charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of the eight-year-old girl.

(CONTINUES)

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/windsor/story/2010/03/13/tori-stafford-case.html#ixzz112qApv1r

The Canadian Press

Thursday, April 8, 2010

'She's alive in us now,' Victoria Stafford's family says

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/04/08/toronto-tori-stafford-anniversary.html#ixzz112rGkjSD

The London Free Press

April 16, 2010

By RANDY RICHMOND

TORI STAFFORD CASE

Tori’s kin return to hometown after year’s respite

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/04/16/13610841.html

The London Free Press

April 24, 2010

By RANDY RICHMOND

Preliminary hearing set for June in Stafford death

COURT: Suspect Michael Rafferty appears by video Friday with Tori Stafford's father watching

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/04/23/13691271.html

cnews

April 30th 2010

By RANDY RICHMOND and IAN GILLESPIE QMI

Media ban in Tori Stafford case

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/04/30/13781761-qmi.html

The Globe and Mail

Friday, Apr. 30, 2010

This ban goes too far

A court appearance was scheduled for Woodstock, Ont., on Friday, but we can’t tell you anything about it.

That’s because an Ontario court judge has issued a temporary, but broad, publication ban in the high-profile case involving the 2009 killing of eight-year-old Victoria (Tori) Stafford.

Because of the ban, all we can say is that Terri-Lynne McClintic was scheduled to appear Friday in the Superior Court of Justice in Woodstock. We are prohibited from providing any more information until there is a further order of the court.

(continues)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/editorials/this-ban-goes-too-far/article1553384/

The Canadian Press

Fri Apr. 30 2010 4:44:20 PM

Accused in Stafford death was to appear in court


Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18, is shown in this undated photo taken from the social networking site 'Facebook.

http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100430/100430_stafford_mcclintic/20100430/?hub=CP24Home

The Star

Sat May 01 2010

Prayers go unanswered for ‘innocent angel'

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/803276--dimanno-prayers-go-unanswered-for-innocent-angel

The Star

May 2, 2010

by Rosie DiManno

DiManno: Media ban cheats Canadians

(snippet)

In the absence of reported facts, the public gets rumour and gossip as whispered dispatches from the courthouse filter out beyond the bell jar of imposed silence.

How long, you figure, before what can't be reported is common knowledge in a town of 35,500 people?

One ironic consequence is that media can still report what was previously known about Tori's abduction on April 8, 2009, the arrest weeks later of McClintic and Michael Rafferty, and the discovery of the child's remains in mid-July. This is information gleaned from investigators, neighbours, family members and Facebook postings — the usual reporting legwork.

But if, say, a reporter were to have recently learned, via a court procedure — and I'm being theoretical here, you understand — that some of this widely published/broadcast content is actually not true, maybe far off the mark, there is no way at this juncture to correct the record.

http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/article/803456

The London Free Press

May 3, 2010

By RANDY RICHMOND and IAN GILLESPIE

A ban on Tori's story

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2010/04/30/13781221.html