Defending Her Interests

Four lawsuits filed against former Colonel Russell Williams.  The former decorated Canadian Air Force member and base commander of of Canadian Forces Base Trenton.  The solid, stalwart military man and loving husband.  Who also just happens to have been convicted on two counts of murder, charges of aggravated sexual assault, theft, voyeurism, and a host of other unsavoury criminal and vicious acts of pathological psychopathy.

With the understanding that this is a naive question, how is it possible for a woman to be married for decades to a man like this and know nothing of his inner urges?  Urges increasingly being acted upon. Even with the understanding that many believe this to be possible, how then is it possible for such a woman not to have been affected at the plight of the women whom her husband preyed upon, much less those whom he tortured and murdered?

For it is simply not possible to believe that she feels any emotions other than those revolving around her own plight of undeserved victimhood and public notoriety.  Not only deprived of a husband with whom she is reputed to have enjoyed a fine relationship with mutual consideration, but she has also assumed the inevitable persona of a woman who lived for many years with a man whose mind was obviously horribly twisted.

An excellent actor he must most surely have been, as he would have had to be, to present himself as reliable, personable, professional, capable and powerfully presentable.  His career as a professional military man marked him as an achiever, an ambitious and persuasive man.  That aside, the veneer seemed intact; he obviously was in possession of the kind of confidence that would allow him to be a predator who graduated from viewing to molesting to murder.

And who was fully capable of continuing the facade of normalcy that became him as the commander of the largest military base in the country who had earned the respect of his superiors, to the point where he was earmarked for continued ascension into the elite ranks of the top military.  And then, clever as he felt himself to be, investigating police were just that much cleverer.

Mary Elizabeth Harriman does not believe she should be contaminated by her husband's actions.  Her supporters believe that as well, as does her lawyer.  Ms. Harriman takes grave exception at being included in the civil lawsuits brought against her husband by some of his victims and some of his victims' families.  The broad stroke of inclusion is an intrusion into her private life and threatens her investments.

She is contesting the latest lawsuit filed in January by the family of Jessica Lloyd, the young woman whom her husband held hostage for 19 hours while he sexually assaulted her, until finally releasing her from her torment by taking her life.  "It's a terrible harassment of a completely innocent woman", Mary Jane Binks, Ms. Harriman's lawyer states.

Jessica Lloyd's mother and her brother are suing for the infliction of pain and suffering, sexual assault, aggravated assault and battery; both the plaintiffs speak of developing post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, suicidal thoughts and emotional pain.  Ms. Harriman's statement of defence reads that the Lloyds are not "entitled to any of the relief sought".

How she can construe the situation as reflecting her innocent victimhood, and the true victims, those who were deprived of their loved ones under horribly depraved and degrading circumstances, are not entitled to "relief sought", is difficult to imagine.  But she is determined to protect her stake in properties originally co-owned, but transferred to her name in an effort to avoid just such a dilemma.