More than 18 months after being charged, Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber get their scheduled four weeks in court.
Tamara Lich trial starting Tuesday | Western Standard | Lee Harding:
September 4, 2023 - "Tamara Lich is going to trial and those crowdfunding her defence say they will live tweet all the proceedings. The four-week trial for the Freedom Convoy leader starts Sept. 5. The Democracy Fund (TDF) is crowdfunding Lich’s legal defence and promises TDF lawyers will provide daily real-time insights and updates directly from the courtroom at Twitter.com/TDF_Can. Through the live posts, the organization aims 'to foster transparency, engagement, and understanding surrounding the legal proceedings' which it calls 'a significant moment in Canada's legal and social landscape.' Lich’s legal team is led by Lawrence Greenspon, a senior criminal lawyer in Ottawa....
"'Tamara's prosecution shows how a prominent political dissident is treated by our justice system," said Alan Honner, TDF's director of litigation. 'The trucker convoy exposed the government's willingness to invoke extraordinary powers to suppress a nationwide protest that was remarkably peaceful,' added Honner. 'Tamara has become the face of that protest, so there is a lot at stake in the outcome of her trial.'
"On July 28, TDF announced its lawyers would represent 12 clients charged with more than 24 offences arising from the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa and Windsor. These clients include a decorated Canadian military veteran, an indigenous single father and a law school grad. The charges range from mischief, breach of a court order and breach of bail conditions to obstruction of a police officer. In each of these cases, the Crown is seeking up to three months in prison. TDF pledged to 'vigorously advance all defences available to our clients.'
"Most trials for TDF clients are expected to take between two to five days each, yet TDF expects back-to-back trials from Dec 2023 to Feb 2024."
Freedom Convoy Trial Inbound - Chris Barber & Tamara Lich Gear Up for Legal Fight with The Feds | Clyde Do Something | August 1, 2023:
‘Freedom Convoy’ duo faces trial in Ottawa. Here’s what the charges mean | Global News | David Baxter, with files from The Canadian Press and Rachel Gilmore:
September 5, 2023 - "Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are both accused of mischief, obstructing police, counselling others to commit mischief, and intimidation. As the trial gets underway and is expected to last 16 days, Global News breaks down what these charges mean.
"Under the Criminal Code, mischief has a broad definition. It’s characterized as the willful destruction of property, making it dangerous or useless to others and/or obstructing, interrupting or interfering with the lawful enjoyment of property of others.... Michael Spratt, an Ottawa-based defence lawyer ... Spratt says that it is not uncommon to see mischief charges in a large protest or demonstration that disrupts a community.... Spratt says that neither Lich nor Barber necessarily had to be among the people actively honking horns, for instance.... As leadership figures in the convoy, there is a possibility they can be held responsible for the actions of others. This goes along with the counselling to commit mischief charge.... The central mischief charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted, but Spratt sees that as highly unlikely....
"With respect to the charge of intimidation, Spratt pointed to the many stories of downtown Ottawa residents not feeling safe in their community while the convoy was occupying the city for those three weeks in February 2021....
"On the final charge — obstructing police — Spratt says Lich and Barber may still be found liable for things they didn’t do themselves due to their perceived leadership positions.... '“If the Crown is able to prove with evidence in court that they took steps to encourage other people to continue lawless behaviour or obstruct police or intimidate others through actions like telling people to hold the line or to ignore dispersal orders, it’s those types of, controlling actions that can lead them to be liable and to be convicted,' he said.
"Lich famously said 'hold the line' in a video of her arrest when police moved in to begin breaking up the protest. 'Hold the line' was used as a rallying cry of sorts throughout the protest by many people involved. It is also the title of Lich’s memoir."
Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/9937749/freedom-convoy-tamara-lich-chris-barber-charges/
No comments:
Post a Comment