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Charges of robbery and sexual assault with a weapon were dropped Wednesday against one of three suspects in the brutal assault of a Calgary man.
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Prosecutor Todd Buziak closed his case before Court of King’s Bench Justice Charlene Anderson in the trial of Christina Schollen, Carol Nordvall and Richard Wayne Parsons.
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But before doing so, Buziak said he remains two of the six charges Schollen faced in connection with an April 15, 2019, attack at a northeast Calgary home.
“We will not proceed with counts three (robbery) and five (sexual assault with a weapon) against Christina Ann Schollen,” the prosecutor told Anderson.
The alleged victim, who cannot be named under a publication ban, testified earlier that he went to a house on Thomson Ave. NE was lured under the promise of sex for drugs, but was instead attacked over an alleged unpaid prostitution bill.
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He said Schollen came outside to greet him and ushered him into the house, where he was punched by three men and punched with what he believed to be a fishbowl.
His hands were then tied behind his back before he was dragged to the basement where he was further assaulted with a wrench and kicked in the face before being sexually violated both anally and orally with a “sex toy”.
But under cross-examination by Schollen’s lawyer, Adriano Iovinelli, the witness said his client was not in the basement when he was sexually assaulted and forced to transfer thousands of dollars from his bank account to his attackers.
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Buziak closed his case by reading a statement of agreed facts that obviated the need to call several other witnesses in the case.
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According to the exhibit, prepared by Buziak and co-prosecutor William Tran, Parsons had $1,400-$1,500 in $100 bills on him when he was arrested and Schollen had $1,200 in her purse, although police did not report on the cash seized.
The complainant testified that he transferred $12,000 from his account and had another $1,200 withdrawn from ATMs.
After Buziak closed his case, attorneys for the three defendants, Krysia Przepiorka for Parsons, Kelsey Sitar for Nordvall and Iovinelli, told Anderson they would not call evidence.
Among the charges the three face are aggravated assault and unlawful detention.
Nordvall and Parsons are still facing charges of sexual assault with a weapon and robbery.
Anderson will hear the final submissions from the lawyers on Thursday.
All three accused are at liberty pending an outcome of the case.
A fourth defendant, Alain Boisjoli, earlier pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, robbery and detention and was sentenced to 4½ years.
A fifth suspect has never been identified.
KMartin@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @KMartinCourts
