And if you were to meet Mr. O’Connell, and say you are a Jew, then he probably wouldn’t like you, too.
If you have any doubts about Mr. O’Connell’s Jew-hatery, read this:
- O'CONNELL -v- THE STATE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA [2012] WASCA 96: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/wa/W ... 12/96.html
Mr. O’Connell was tried by a jury and found guilty of anti-Semitic hate speech, both in person and online. He received a three year sentence. O’Connell appealed on a variety of grounds (without success). I mention this case because, among other things, O’Connell is an Australian Freeman. Here’s how he explained that (para. 77):
Oh, Skippy? His pet name for the judge. He used other ones, too (para. 77):Just to clarify the jury - for the jury, my name is Brendon Lee - Brendon Lee of the family O'Connell. I am a sovereign subject of Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors. I'm a free man. This court does not sit under Ch 3 of the Australian Constitution - if you're that bored you can leave - sit under Ch 3 of the Australian Constitution, nor does it sit under 1903 Judiciary Act. This whole court is a farce. It's an insult to Skippy. But I'll continue on with this farce, this comedy. Absolute comedy. Here under duress ...
At trial he argued the judge and court had no authority (paras. 78-79):There are many examples of the appellant's disrespectful and insulting behaviour towards his Honour and the court during trial. The flavour of his behaviour can be gauged from the following examples:
- 1. He said to his Honour, 'I wish to get your neck size so we can go straight to the gallows for treason': ts 280.
2. When referring to his Honour, the appellant often called him 'adjudicator'. On other occasions, the appellant referred to his Honour as 'Captain Pugwash': ts 682, 'De Fuhrer' and 'Comrade Stalin'.
3. He referred to the court as 'a kangaroo court': ts 261. To emphasise the point, he sang the theme song to the well-known children's television program 'Skippy': ts 662, and made references to Skippy, at other times during the trial.
4. He insulted his Honour, saying, at one point, 'Shut up, you old fool': ts 683; and at another point, 'Were you paid or do they have something on you?': ts 733.
How pleasant.THE APPELLANT: I'm sorry, adjudicator, I'm still waiting for the court to sit under common law under section - chapter III of the Australian Constitution and the Judiciary Act of 1903. When that happens - - -
WISBEY DCJ: The jury - - -
THE APPELLANT: When that happens, we can talk business. Till then, I'm just staring at the ceiling: ts 271.
The more fanciful aspects of the appeal were a constitutional challenge, but leave was denied on that. The notice of constitutional challenge was “confused, contradictory and largely incomprehensible. It does not clearly identify any relevant matter arising under the Constitution or involving its interpretation.”: para. 84.
The court outlines the details of the arguments in paras. 87-88:
These arguments were rejected as “trivial, unarguable, frivolous or vexatious” (para. 90). Changes to name for the Crown did not affect government authority (para. 91). This specific issue had been previously addressed in various actions advanced by Freeman-on-the-Land Wayne Kenneth Glew (viewtopic.php?f=47&t=9335).87 The first is that the passage of the Acts Amendment and Repeal (Courts and Legal Practice) Act 2003 (WA) (which, in broad terms, changed references to the Crown or her Majesty in a large number of statutes, including the District Court Act 1969 (WA), to the Governor or the State) 'purported to dissolve the indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom by removing the Sovereign': appeal ts 16.
88 The second issue is that the appellant asserts that, as the Department of the Attorney General has an Australian Business Number (ABN), the courts in this State have effectively become corporations. Thus, it is said the judiciary is no longer a separate and independent arm of government: appeal ts 18, 19.
Similarly, courts had already decided that an Australian Business Number does not convert someone or something into a corporation (paras. 93-94). In this case Freeman Harley Robert Williamson (viewtopic.php?f=47&t=9362) provided the relevant authority.
When I searched for more about Mr. O'Connell I was deluged by all manner of reporting from media sources of all kinds. What I did not find were comments from his fellow Freemen on his beliefs, conduct, and lack of success.
SMS Möwe