Close X
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
ADVT 
National

Suspended Senator Brazeau To Take The Stand At His Assault Trial: Lawyer

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 02 Apr, 2015 01:03 PM

    GATINEAU, Que. — Suspended senator Patrick Brazeau will testify in his own defence at his ongoing trial for charges of assault and sexual assault, his lawyer said Thursday.

    Defence attorney Gerard Larocque told reporters outside the courtroom, during a break, that Brazeau will take the stand during the criminal trial, which is by judge alone. He is not expected to testify Thursday.

    Brazeau faces charges connected to an alleged incident two years ago at a home in the same city, near Ottawa. He has pleaded not guilty.

    Larocque continued his cross-examination Thursday of the Crown's main witness — Brazeau's alleged victim — during the fourth day of the trial in Gatineau, Que.

    The female complainant, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, has alleged that Brazeau pushed her down some stairs, hit her head into a wall and on a stair, spat on her and sexually assaulted her.

    Last week, Larocque suggested during the trial that the woman instigated the physical confrontation that led to his client's arrest. During his cross-examination, he accused her of striking Brazeau with her hand and a bra.

    The woman denied Larocque's allegation.

    "That's false," she told the court last week. 

    On Thursday, Larocque also told journalists outside the courtroom that Brazeau allegedly suffered injuries that day, including marks on his head and neck. 

    Inside the courtroom, he continued his attempts Thursday to poke holes in the woman's story by highlighting potential contradictions in remarks she made in several police statements and interviews, as well as the 911 call the day of the alleged incident.

    In one exchange, the lawyer pointed out that she hadn't informed police in earlier statements about allegations she made during the trial — that Brazeau hit her forearms with his hand several times to try and get her to let go of a railing.

    The woman replied by saying she only gave general details of the alleged assault in her statement to police in February 2013.

    "I simply told them I was hit," she told the court.

    "At no moment was I asked for specific details."

    In another example, Larocque grilled the witness when she apparently revealed for the first time that she spat back after Brazeau allegedly spat on her.

    He told her he didn't recall her telling any authorities, in statements nor in interviews, before Thursday that she spat at Brazeau. Larocque asked her if she recalled mentioning it to authorities.

    "Right now, I can't remember if I spoke about spitting at that moment in time," the woman said.

    The attorney also challenged the complainant's response to the 911 operator's question to her shortly after the alleged attack. Larocque tried to expose a contradiction, saying that when the operator asked her if Brazeau had hit her in the face, she replied that he hadn't.

    He then showed the courtroom a segment from the her videotaped interview with police.

    "He did this to my face," the woman tells her police interviewer in the footage, as she's shown patting her own cheek with an open hand to demonstrate.

    After viewing the video, the woman told the court that she couldn't remember some of the details from that day.

    "I just know that he hit me," she said.

    Larocque has also challenged the woman's credibility last week, saying she kept authorities in the dark about some details of the incident.

    During last week's cross-examination, Larocque accused the woman of hitting Brazeau after he demanded she return a necklace he had given to her as a gift. She denied that allegation.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Montreal Imam Denied Islamic Centre Licence Wants Apology From Mayor Denis Coderre

    MONTREAL — A Montreal imam who has been prohibited from opening an Islamic centre says he could sue Denis Coderre if the mayor doesn't apologize by Friday for calling him an agent of radicalization.

    Montreal Imam Denied Islamic Centre Licence Wants Apology From Mayor Denis Coderre

    Railway Analyst Hopeful Ottawa Won't Add Volume Thresholds In Updated Law

    Railway Analyst Hopeful Ottawa Won't Add Volume Thresholds In Updated Law
    MONTREAL — A transportation analyst is hopeful that Ottawa's decision not to renew minimum grain volume requirements signals the government won't add thresholds in legislation governing the country's railways that is under view.

    Railway Analyst Hopeful Ottawa Won't Add Volume Thresholds In Updated Law

    Analysts Wonder Whether Canada Has Stomach To Wage 'War' Against ISIL

    Analysts Wonder Whether Canada Has Stomach To Wage 'War' Against  ISIL
    OTTAWA — The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has declared "war" on Canada, the Harper government is fond of saying.

    Analysts Wonder Whether Canada Has Stomach To Wage 'War' Against ISIL

    Finance Minister To Hold Pre-Budget Meeting With Economists April 9

    Finance Minister To Hold Pre-Budget Meeting With Economists April 9
    OTTAWA — Finance Minister Joe Oliver will huddle with private-sector economists early next month to prepare for his pre-election budget — a blueprint set for release as the oil slump forces experts to downgrade economic forecasts.

    Finance Minister To Hold Pre-Budget Meeting With Economists April 9

    Quebec Approves Motion Asking Harper To Hand Over Long-Gun Registry Data

    Quebec Approves Motion Asking Harper To Hand Over Long-Gun Registry Data
    The motion passed by a 106-0 vote and urges Harper to transfer the data to Quebec, which is setting up its own registry.

    Quebec Approves Motion Asking Harper To Hand Over Long-Gun Registry Data

    Tories To Introduce New, Separate Lump Sum Payment For Critically Wounded Troops

    OTTAWA — The Harper government is offering yet another new lump-sum benefit to the country's most critically wounded soldiers, hoping to silence complaints that the existing pain and suffering awards are too cheap.

    Tories To Introduce New, Separate Lump Sum Payment For Critically Wounded Troops