Updated Description - The “update” function was not saving any of the updates, so I have posted below.



In August 2016, Gerald Stanley encountered a group of young men in his farm yard attempting to steal his property. Unfortunate events to follow led to, what was proven to be, a freak accident, which cost the life of one of the young men. It was a terrible situation and circumstance.

Friday February 9th 2018, Gerald was acquitted of the charge he acquired, as well as cleared of any and all wrong-doing surrounding the events of that day.

As imaginable, the Stanley family has spent thousands upon thousands of dollars surrounding this ordeal.



All funds raised will be going to the Stanley Family, in an effort to help them recoup some of their lost time, property and vehicles that were damaged, harvest income, and sanity during this entire difficult situation they have been dealing with over the past two years.



********************************************

First off, the Stanley family wishes to offer a HUGE thank you for the support, donations, likes and shares, and kind words in general. The proceeds will go a long way in helping the Stanleys rebuild their lives after the tragic events of August 9, 2016.



Secondly, we (the organizers) wish to offer our sincerest apologies to those donors whose names have been slandered or defamed by individuals who have a personal vendetta against this campaign. This behaviour is shameful, rude, and shows a complete lack of moral decency and intelligence. Donating to a fundraiser is a person’s own choice. Trying to prevent people from donating, or negatively impacting those who have donated is completely wrong. The fundraiser does not violate Gofundme’s Terms and Conditions, so it will NOT be shut down by anyone’s hand, other then the organizer. Mr. Stanley was ACQUITTED by a jury of his peers in a court of law. I am sorry to those who do not agree with the verdict, but that is another story all together.



As well, we DO NOT condone people donating under any type of intentionally misrepresentative names. While we thank you for your generosity, we want to uphold the values of truth and integrity and respect. (GoFundMe has been paying very close attention to this - any and all donations made under false names, will simply be refunded to the donor. If you wish to donate, you must enter your name - not simply “anonymous anonymous” as those are being refunded as well. - you may still select the “anonymous” option, and your name will not appear publicly) This fundraiser and the events leading up to it are in no way a joking matter.



It is very important that people make an effort to understand the true events that occurred that day. There are many reputable news reports, archived Tweets from inside the courtroom during the trial, photos, documents, and other resources available with which a person can educate themselves. Please do some research before judging the family, the campaign organizers, or the donors. Branding someone a “racist” or a “murderer” is extremely harmful, especially when such claims have ZERO factual merits.



Thirdly, we would like to clarify our reasons for starting the fundraiser. The fundraiser was NOT created as a platform to promote or justify ANY type of VIOLENCE, RACISM, VIGILANTEISM, or any such other negative or harmful notions or ideologies. We are not condoning or glorifying Gerald’s actions that day. The events of August 9th impacted the Stanleys’ lives forever. As a result of other people’s actions and negative decisions, the family has suffered tremendous personal and financial losses, as well as intangible losses such as sleepless nights, stress, fear, and general upset. While certain things can never be replaced, the funds will hopefully ease some of the burdens suffered between August 9, 2016, and the present day.



Mr. Stanley was found NOT GUILTY by a jury of 12 peers in the Court of Queen’s Bench of Canada. We respect this verdict, as well as the judicial process that was utilized in reaching this decision.



Finally, it was NOT, nor will it ever be, our intent or the Stanleys’ intent to place any less value, or any type of indignity on the life that was lost. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of the young man who lost his life on August 9, 2016.



Thank you all for your support!!

Read more