LIVE UPDATES: Sentencing arguments commence for two of remaining 'Coutts Four' defendants
Chris Carbert and Anthony Olienick have been detained without bail for roughly two-and-a-half years for their involvement in the anti-COVID mandate protests in Coutts, Alberta, in 2022. This prolonged detention raises serious concerns about freedom of expression and the right to protest in Canada.
Sentencing arguments are expected to begin today in Lethbridge, Alberta for the trial of Chris Carbert and Anthony Olienick, two of the remaining 'Coutts Four' defendants.
Earlier this month, both Carbert and Olienick were found not guilty of conspiring to murder RCMP officers during the Coutts border blockade and protests in early 2022, but have been held in remand ever since.
Each was convicted of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5000.
Olienick was additionally convicted of possession of an explosive device.
Rebel News' Editor-in-Chief Sheila Gunn Reid is at the courthouse in Lethbridge and will be covering today's proceedings.
Follow along below for live updates:
"We are not talking a lifetime drug dealer here.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
What is to be served by further incarceration?
I would suggest nothing"
Beyak wants 30 days in jail for mischief, firearms prohibition, and 2.5 to 3.5 years on firearms charges for Carbert (concurrent sentences).
Which would be…
oh. The gun charge against Chris Lysak was not that he was unlawfully in possession for a dangerous purpose, but that he didn't have an ATT (authorization to transport) which is a paper crime -he was unlawfully in possession IN AN UNAUTHORIZED PLACE. Very different.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Lysak had…
Beyak: there is no evidence that Mr Carbert showed anyone his weapons. He did not brandish them. He did NOT tell people about them.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Judge: that would be foolhardy, given all the police around.
Beyak: or a demonstration of his unwillingness to use them. He wasn't desirous of…
Beyak: There is nothing in evidence to support the crown's assertion that he would have engaged in violence to "defend their protest"
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Beyak is arguing the social isolation, and emotional and psychological impacts of responding to the mandates helped get Carbert where he is today.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
He was dissatisfied with the govt response and he joined in the convoy.
Katherin Beyak for Chris Carbert is up now arguing against his continued incarceration. She notes his broad community support, and strong family bonds, and says his business assets have largely been liquidated during his 900+ days in jail.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Burns is done, wants no prohib on firearms possession possession for her client. Judge tells her 10 years is the minimum.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Wants a sentence amounting to time served.
Adjourned for an hour, and Carbert's lawyer, Katherin Beyak is up after the break.
Burns says Olienick should get extra credit for triple bunking, gang-affiliated roommates, and other terrible conditions experienced during the 13 days he spent in Remand in Calgary. Judge wants evidence.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Burns: "we don't have that evidence"
Burns says the potential for a DNA collection order is "inappropriate" and "intrusive" and quickly moves on.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
The judge stops her and asks her if there is more to her argument or if she would like to cite case law to make her point.
She does not and moves on.
Lawyer for Olienick, Marilyn Burns, says rural people would not be as bothered by bringing guns to a protest.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
"They bring them to a grocery store...and have them under the backseat of their cars"
Judge: "you might be overstating things"
(I'm as rural as they come, and I…
Marilyn Burns, defence lawyer for Tony Olienick, makes her sentencing arguments, and says her client was very concerned about conflicts with UN Troops, WEF, CCP, Antifa- and the safety of children.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
The judge stops her. And reads from transcripts noting, "Olienick was far more…
The crown notes the gallery is almost always full here, indicating a high public interest, necessitating a high level of deterrent and strong sentence.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
But he fails to note the gallery is full of supporters for the men.
Crown just said Carbert self-radicalized on the internet, through "videos that people promulgate on the internet" and those internet posters carry some responsibility for what happened.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
(why is this crown making the case for Trudeau's Online Harms Act?)
Carbert claimed he had a cache of weapons to undercover officers, but no cache was found.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
He did have an illegal "assault-style" weapon, some over-capacity magazines, and some other varmint plinkers.
He had thousands of rounds of ammunition, but who doesn't love to stock up…
Judge just said Carbert didn't want to shoot anybody.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Crown says "Yes, I know he didn't want to commit suicide"
Gallery scoffs. Crown clarifies that he meant that opening fire on the ERT team would mean suicide-by-cop.
Good save.
The judge just suggested the crown wants him to sentence the defendants for a firefight that never happened.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
If I recall correctly, Carbert came out and surrendered. Despite his bravado to undercover officers, he came out with his hands up to a tactical armoured vehicle and the…
Carbert and Olienick are in the prisoners' box, sitting one chair apart. Not wearing jail clothes, and neither is looking at the crown as he speaks.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Judge says that he has been a witness to the defendants (now convicted) of having people who love them throughout this trial. Says he sees no obvious warts in the pasts of Olienick and Carbert. They were hardworking productive people before their arrests.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
You can see for…
Another reference letter in support of Olienick states support of the actions at the Coutts blockade "earlier this year."
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
The blockade was in 2022. Crown says this is bizarre.
Carbert filed no reference letters in support.
An unsigned, undated character reference letter from someone named Danny Blake in support of Anthony Olienick refers to "help cleaning up after a fire" that happened "last year." Olienick was in jail last year.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Court is back in session. The crown complains about the "avalanche of reference letters" on behalf of the defendants.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Apparently, the letters came in last night and early hours today to both the judge and the crown. The judge does not like the way in which he received them.
Court is now delayed until 10:30. Hang tight, people.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
oh, a second member of the media showed up. That raise from Trudeau in the last budget must cover KMs
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
There's one member of the MSM in a full row set aside for accredited media in courtroom 6 in Lethbridge. Odd for a case of national significance as it was one of the reasons the Libs said their illegal use of the Emergencies Act was necessary.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
I've chosen to sit with the people
The Coutts 3 border blockade leaders are in the hallway. Marco Van Huigenbos and Alex Van Herk have said their hellos to the the courtroom of supporters of Olienick and Carbert. https://t.co/rLGSDJNGSK
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Justice Labrenz has said the jury's verdict of guilty on weapons charges are proof the jury believed both men brought weapons, ammunition and body armour to the two-week standoff not just to show off or hunt animals but for a more sinister purpose.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
“It was to support the…
The co-accused of Olienick and Carbert were sentenced to time served after guilty pleas.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Christopher Lysak was sentenced to three years for possession of a restricted firearm in an unauthorized place. Jerry Morin was sentenced to 3.5 years for conspiracy to traffic firearms.…
Justice David Labrenz is expected to rule on sentencing Friday.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Jurors weren't satisfied there was an actual conspiracy to murder police.
But after reviewing the facts of the case earlier this week, the judge said the men were ready to engage in a shootout with officers.
In court this morning in Lethbridge Alberta where sentencing arguments will be heard for the remaining 2 of the Coutts 4, Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert. They were each convicted of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5000.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 29, 2024
Olienick was…
Liberal MP taunts critical journalist on media handouts
By Alex Dhaliwal
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