The Crown and defence attorneys have wrapped up their instances within the trial of three males accused of orchestrating the border shutdown at Coutts, Alta., in early 2022.
The prosecution known as only a handful of witnesses throughout the trial, together with former Coutts mayor Jim Willett and RCMP officers, and informed the jury Friday it had determined in opposition to calling one extra witness.
“I may advise you sir that with that call having been made, that the Crown can be closing its case,” mentioned Crown prosecutor Steven Johnston.
The defence elected to not name any proof in any respect.
Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos, and Gerhard Janzen have pleaded not responsible to a cost of mischief over $5,000.
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The Crown has offered proof it says proves the trio spearheaded the protest that tied up cross-border site visitors between Alberta and Montana for 2 weeks in early 2022 in a protest of COVID-era guidelines and restrictions.
It pressured the case isn’t about COVID-19 or free speech however merely that folks can’t resolve on their very own to close down a serious transportation portal.
The defence has argued that the protest group was a mishmash of competing pursuits to the purpose it wasn’t clear who was calling the photographs.
Alberta Courtroom of King’s Bench Justice Keith Yamauchi dismissed the jury till Tuesday.
“We now have some administrative issues with which we should deal earlier than we offer you statements from the Crown, statements from the defence, and so what I’m doing is I’m going to let you depart now and require you to be again right here Tuesday morning,” Yamauchi mentioned.
“I’m providing you with an extended weekend.”
As soon as the decide provides a cost, or directions to the jury, the members will start deliberating the three males’s guilt or innocence.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
