Live Updates: Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich's trial enters day 29
Lich spent almost two months behind bars on non-violent offences in relation to her role as an organizer of the anti-mandate demonstrations that erupted in Ottawa in early 2022.
The trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber enters day 29 today in Ottawa. As two of the most prominent faces of the Freedom Convoy, Lich and co-accused Chris Barber are facing charges of mischief, obstructing police, counselling others to commit mischief, and intimidation. The Freedom Convoy demonstrations drew thousands of Canadians to Ottawa in early 2022 in opposition to COVID-19 restrictions.
As explained by Rebel News reporter Robert Kraychik, during yesterday's proceedings, "Eric Granger, one of Lich's lawyers, argued against a pending Carter application from the Crown. A Carter application, if approved by a judge, allows all incriminating evidence against one co-defendant to be used against other co-defendants in a criminal trial."
"Adam Blake-Gallipeau, a lawyer with The Democracy Fund, explained that this Carter application, if accepted by Justice Heather Perkins-McVey — the judge overseeing the Lich and Barber trial — would allow all statements made by Barber and used as evidence by the prosecution to also be attributable to Lich," added Kraychik.
Watch a full recap of yesterday's proceedings:
Kraychik is once again reporting from inside the Ottawa courthouse and will be providing live updates.
Follow along below:
Magas repeatedly states that Barber's public and private communications demonstrate "the total opposite" of the Crown's characterization of his Freedom Convoy conduct as part of a conspiracy towards commission of an "unlawful common purpose". https://t.co/AqArY1U2cy
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 28, 2023
Magas is sharing many statements from Barber - communicated privately and publicly - im which her clients calls on Freedom Convoy protesters to remain "peaceful", be respectful to Ottawa residents, and reprimands demonstrators being uncivil.https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 28, 2023
Diane Magas, Barber's lawyer, reads a statement from her client issued during the Freedom Convoy emphasizing the need for peaceful assembly among demonstrators. Coordinating a peaceful and lawful protest, she added, is not a criminal conspiracy.https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 28, 2023
The Carter application exists to create a framework where co-conspirators can be jointly incriminated by evidence that, in isolation of this framework, would only incriminate one or some of them. In other words, an accepted Carter application assumes that all co-defendants are…
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 28, 2023
A successful Carter application, Granger explained, must demonstrate a conspiracy/agreement between co-defendants towards "an unlawful common design". This criteria, he added, is "incapable of being met" given the Crown's evidence. https://t.co/QJ4H2HCK3ohttps://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 28, 2023
Eric Granger, Lich's co-counsel, asked the judge to reject a Carter application - a request to allow incriminating evidence against one co-defendant to be used against another in the context of a criminal conspiracy - submitted by the Crown.https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 28, 2023
Granger told us yesterday that Lich's remarks contradict the Crown's presentation: "The Crown is trying to show evidence that Lich was involved in a plan to commit a crime. At every turn, both publicly and privately, by text message, Facebook message, video message, press…
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 28, 2023
Chris Barber and Tamara Lich trial day 28: Eric Granger, Lich's co-counsel, shares public remarks made by Lich during the Freedom Convoy, including her calls for demonstrators to "show love [and] respect" to police officers and journalists.https://t.co/TWDiMnjMOA
— Robert Kraychik (@rkraychik) November 28, 2023
- By Ezra Levant
Support Tamara's Legal Defense
The Democracy Fund, a Canadian charity, is supporting Tamara Lich by crowdfunding her legal bills. The cost of expert legal representation is $300,000, which Tamara, an ordinary mom and grandma from Medicine Hat, Alberta, cannot afford. But we have a secret weapon: Lawrence Greenspon, one of Ottawa's top lawyers, is on Tamara's side. Lawrence is accustomed to handling complex and serious cases, but his team is expensive — and they are worth every penny. If you can, please chip in to help cover Tamara's legal fees.
HELP TAMARADon't Get Censored
Big Tech is censoring us. Sign up so we can always stay in touch.
Don't Get Censored
Big Tech is censoring us. Sign up so we can always stay in touch.