Hadad walks on obscenity charge

Local Comedian Donna Hadad was yesterday reprimanded and discharged of an obscenity charge laid against her following an appearance at a comedy show over the weekend at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Hadad, who appeared before Magistrate Halcian Yorke Young, pleaded guilty to the charge after it was read to her by the magistrate. The charge read that at 11.40 pm on Saturday, Hadad, who was a listed performer at the Naughty Girls in Concert, was heard using the “F” word on several occasions during her act. According to the police report, this was to the annoyance of both the audience and police officers on duty.

The report also stated that at the end of Hadad’s performance, she was arrested by officers on duty and taken to the Belmont Police Station where she was charged for the offence. Representing Hadad at the proceedings was attorney Keith Scotland, who made a stirring plea on his client’s behalf, insisting that her use of profanity was borne out of his client’s frustration. “She is not a ‘naughty girl’ even though she appeared on the programme. Instead, Ms Hadad is just a concerned citizen who was only speaking about the callousness that has pervaded our society,” Scotland told the court. The attorney also said that his client was addressing the issue of the nine-year-old schoolgirl who was recently found by the authorities as being sexually abused by several adult males.

Scotland told the court that Hadad, who now has permanent resident status in the United States, was “forced into exile” due to the escalating crime situation. The attorney reminded the magistrate that Hadad, like other local artistes, expressed themselves during their stage acts. “She has an art, and in expressing herself says ‘I cannot live here.’ It was out of pure frustration the artiste said the word,” the attorney said. On his client’s behalf, Scotland asked the magistrate that a conviction not be recorded against his client who now resides in New Jersey with her husband and eight-month-old son. “She is a prominent artiste who has contributed to the artform for more than 15 years. This is a trivial charge and I ask that it be dismissed,” the attorney pleaded.

In response to the attorney’s submission, Yorke Young sought to correct the attorney and told him the charge of the use of obscene language is not a trivial one, as it is prevalent in the country and by extention, a very serious offence. “I am not sure there was any need for that type of language. However, you have no previous convictions. You are reprimanded and discharged,” the magistrate told the accused. Speaking to reporters following her discharge, Hadad said she was deeply sorry for what had occurred. “This is the law of the land and I have to respect that, but the laws restrict performance,” the comedian said. Asked if she would be returning to perform at other shows in Trinidad, Hadad said she was not sure.