Jerome goes quiet

As VOCM reported last month:

More Debate Over Cameron Inquiry
June 19, 2008

Justice Minister Jerome Kennedy says government is just doing its duty bringing the cost of the Cameron Inquiry to the public's attention. Jerome Kennedy says the legal fees appear to be exorbitant. Kennedy says during the month of March, Sandra Chaytor's law firm billed $93-thousand dollars, Bernard Coffey's firm billed $67-thousand dollars for a total of $160-thousand dollars for one month. He says by any stretch of the imagination that is certainly extensive if not exorbitant. Kennedy says the questions about the inquiry costs are valid. He says on May 8th. Justice Cameron requested the extension. He says at that point there were 80 witnesses left to call and at this point there are still 65 left. Kennedy says then the other parties have the right to call witnesses. He says all they are trying to do is determine the cost of the inquiry and that is legitimate. Kennedy says in a letter to the Commissioner Tuesday he indicated the deputy minister of justice and finance officials could meet with Inquiry officials as early as today to discuss the budget.

A St John's lawyer is calling the lawyer's fees associated with the Cameron Inquiry outrageous. Steve Marshall is a private lawyer who has practiced for 25 years. Marshall says he wants to know, as a taxpayer, what the total tally will be. He says the key issue is what's in the best interest of the patients affected by the botched breast cancer hormone receptor tests.

That was last month. This month, by way of follow-up on the issue, Dave Bartlett reports for the Telegram today:

The public inquiry into how three men from this province were wrongly convicted cost the provincial government more than $5.5 million in legal fees.

The provincial Department of Justice released the legal costs of the Lamer inquiry to The Telegram on Monday.

...

The former firm of Justice Minister Jerome Kennedy was fifth on the list. Simmonds Kennedy represented two of the three wrongfully convicted men and billed just less than $370,000. Kennedy represented Parsons. His law partner, Bob Simmonds, represented Ronald Dalton.

Which might explain, in part, why:

A spokesman for Kennedy told The Telegram the minister had nothing new to say at this time on the Cameron inquiry.

But how does taxpayer Steve Marshall feel?