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THE LOEWEN GROUP, INC. and RAYMOND L. LOEWEN, v. THE ...

THE LOEWEN GROUP, INC. and RAYMOND L. LOEWEN, v. THE ...

THE LOEWEN GROUP, INC. and RAYMOND L. LOEWEN, v. THE ...

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B. Alleged Improper References To Geography And Nationality<br />

The United States has shown that claimants' allegations of improper appeals to<br />

"nationalistic" biases have no basis in the record <strong>and</strong> that, in fact, much of what claimants<br />

bemoan as improper was actually introduced by Loewen itself at the trial. See Counter-Mem. at<br />

19-25. Claimants offer essentially three responses. First, they contend that Loewen introduced<br />

matters of nationality only as a "defense" to Willie Gary's alleged improper references. Second,<br />

claimants contend that the jury foreman, despite having served in the Royal Canadian Air Force,<br />

actually "hated" Canadians. Third, claimants contend that no issues in the trial could have<br />

justified the comments that claimants contend impermissibly appealed to nationalistic biases.<br />

Each of these responses is meritless.<br />

1. The Record Conclusively Demonstrates That Loewen, Not O'Keefe,<br />

Introduced Matters Of Nationality And Prejudice As A Central<br />

Component Of Its Case<br />

As the United States has shown, the O'Keefe jury heard evidence relating to "anti-<br />

Canadian" bias only because Loewen itself chose to introduce such evidence as part of its<br />

deliberate litigation strategy, the purpose of which was to paint Jerry O'Keefe as a bigoted <strong>and</strong><br />

6 (...continued)<br />

worth was $411 million, followed by testimony from Loewen's own witness "that the Loewen<br />

Group net worth was $700 million. Usually an attorney will coordinate their lies with their<br />

witnesses.").<br />

7 Neither, for example, do claimants or their declarants mention Loewen's counsel's<br />

notorious violation of the court's sequestration rule, which resulted in the complete striking of the<br />

testimony of one of Loewen's witnesses. See Counter-Mem. at 37. While claimants <strong>and</strong> their<br />

declarants may choose to ignore this event, it certainly did not go unnoticed in the courtroom.<br />

See U.S. App. at 1158. ("the jury was very impressed by" Loewen's violation of the<br />

sequestration rule <strong>and</strong> "believed that all of this indicated some kind of improper maneuver by the<br />

defense") (reported comment of Juror Number 6).<br />

8

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