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Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich is concerned about whether she violated bail conditions when she attended an award ceremony event attended by fellow organizer Tom Marazo in Toronto on June 16. Stay in jail again to wait for the Ontario court’s decision.
Justice of the peace, Paul Harris, said in a court appearance in Lich on July 5, it would take some time before the final decision on the case was made. He is expected to announce his decision at a court appearance scheduled for Rich on July 8.
Meanwhile, Lich will be staying at the Ottawa-Carlton Detention Center for at least three more nights.
Prosecutor Moise Karimsey has taken a photo of Lich and Marazzo appearing with him at the award-winning ceremony in Toronto, and a video recording of the prosecutor’s alleged interaction between Rich and Marazzo. Presented as proof. Bail conditions.
Military veteran Marazzo volunteered as a spokesperson for the truck driver’s Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa in February. Protests calling on the federal government to end the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and other related public health regulations lasted for more than three weeks. It gives police additional power to reveal what they said was an “illegal demonstration” of several days of escalated operations after the Liberal Party government enacted an emergency law on February 14. Finished after giving.
Lawrence Greenspon, Rich’s defense lawyer, said in court that a short congratulatory exchange after receiving the award did not lead to illegal activity and was not a breach of bail terms. The court also heard testimony that a lawyer attended the event and approved the photographs of Rich and Marazzo. Greenspon said Lich’s bail terms specify no contact except in the presence of a lawyer.
“Your honor, you’ve heard this proof. It consists of a congratulatory exchange less than three seconds after the speech at the award dinner and a picture of Mr. Reach standing next to Mr. Marazzo.” Said Greenspon.
The defense also said police and prosecutors could have dealt with the matter in a different way, issued her arrest warrants throughout Canada, and dispatched a long-time veteran murder detective to her case. He questioned the course of action, including detaining her for nine days. So far, after she was re-arrested on June 27th.
testimony
The court heard from the Ottawa police station. Chris Benson, the leader of Lich’s case, who shared a photo of Lich and Marazzo at the June 16 event, shows that Lich broke his bail conditions because he was physically close to Marazzo. increase.
Greenspon wonders if Benson has evidence that the “less than three seconds” interaction between Rich and Marazzo seen in the video is “more than a festive handshake, and probably thank you.” thought.
“I don’t know what was said, I don’t think I could hear it,” Benson said.
The court also heard from Rich’s guarantor, who could not reveal his identity due to the ban. The guarantor said he noticed a photo of Rich and Marazzo a few days after the event and immediately contacted Rich, worried if he violated the bail conditions. The guarantor said Lich assured them that the lawyer was present at the event.
First arrest in Ottawa
Lich, one of the organizers of the major convoys, was first arrested in the capital on February 17, and was charged with counseling and other charges to commit mischief and interfere with police.
She was detained for 19 days after being first denied bail by Judge Julie Bourgeois of the Ontario State Court, and on March 7, Judge John M. Johnston of the Ontario State Court overturned the bourgeoisie decision. I was released. Lich was released under many bail conditions, including no contact with the organizers of her fellow convoys.
In April, the Center for Constitutional Freedom chose Rich as the recipient of the 2022 George Jonas Freedom Award and invited her to a ceremony in Toronto on June 16. , Lich violated her bail conditions, so she should be sent back to jail to await trial. However, on May 25, Judge Kevin Phillips of the Ontario Superior Court ruled that Lich did not violate her bail terms, stating that “the court is not the Thought Police.”
Lich was arrested in his hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta, 11 days after the awards ceremony on June 16, and transferred to Ottawa to attend a bail hearing.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report
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Andrew Chen is a Toronto-based Epoch Times reporter.
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Limin Zhou is an Ottawa-based reporter.
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