The Online Citizen received a letter from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), dated 13 June, last Saturday, about a letter published by Mr Alfred Dodwell, the lawyer representing Amos Yee, on his firm’s website, which was subsequently reproduced by TOC in the article “Inappropriate to even consider RTC for Amos Yee: Teen’s lawyer“.
AGC said that the letter contains material that can constitute sub judice and misrepresent the proceedings of the case.
“The Attorney-General’s Chambers take the view that defence counsel’s publication of the letter on the website of M/S Dodwell & Co. amounts to sub judice conduct; further, that the letter does not convey an accurate picture of the proceedings in this case,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Kelvin Koh.
“Please note that any subsequent publication of the said letter would also be conduct offending the sub judice rule.”
No other details were given by AGC.
We understand that Dodwell & Co. had subsequently removed the letter from its website.
In the letter addressed to Judge Jasvender Kaur, Mr Dodwell had indicated aspects of AGC’s process in submitting evidence which he felt were inappropriate, and also questioned the suitability of proposing a reformative training sentence for Yee.
He also indicated in the letter that he would be making submissions in court to that effect.
In addition, Mr Dodwell had related that Yee might have been subject to ill-treatment while in remand at Changi Prison.
Yee was found guilty of offences relating to the Penal Code section 298, for a YouTube video he created that criticised former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, and section 292 for a caricature he uploaded depicting Mr Lee and former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher engaging in sexual activities.
TOC has removed the letter from our original article.
We are also following up with AGC to ask which aspects of Mr Dodwell’s letter risk sub judice or have inaccurately portrayed Yee’s case, and will provide updates when we receive a response.
AGC’s letter to TOC, dated 13 June, is appended below.
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