A Crown witness on Thursday told the court hearing the trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, she was given a specific list outlining what protest footage to collect — but did not keep it. .Sgt. Joanne Pilotte, homicide unit of the Ottawa Police Services, was allegedly instructed by Det. Chris Benson, lead investigator in the homicide department, to collect social media footage surrounding the Freedom Convoy and defendants Lich and Barber. .The protest organizers are facing charges of mischief, intimidation, obstruction, and counselling to commit the same offenses not committed. .Pilotte said she “did not choose” which videos to download, but “was given a list of what to download.”.She said she did not keep the list “directing [her] downloads”, nor does she recall what happened to it, at which point she was asked by the judge to step out of the room..The judge then asked the defence if they had asked Benson if he had retained the list. .Defence attorney Marwa Younes said they had asked and Benson “doesn't remember” assigning Pilotte with such a task. .“You would think if she was tasked with something, they would keep a record,” Justice Heather Perkins-McVey said. “I will leave it at that.”.Pilotte then returned to the room and testified “she did not make any notes about it,” tweeted The Democracy Fund. .The court viewed several TikTok videos submitted by the defence, of which Pilotte admitted she had seen but “did not download,” or had downloaded but not viewed. .Pilotte testified she was instructed to collect video footage from February 9 and 11 2022, and was “not asked to capture” anything after those dates — to which the judge noted she had submitted a video on the 12th and said it contradicts her statement. ."Were you tasked by Detective Benson after February 12 to go back and download any videos from [Chris Barber's] TikTok account?" she asked.."I don't believe so," Pilotte responded, saying again she does not have a list..“All the more reason to have the list from Benson,” Perkins-McVey replied, and requested the notes Pilotte was using to “refresh [her] memory” should be entered as an exhibit.
A Crown witness on Thursday told the court hearing the trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, she was given a specific list outlining what protest footage to collect — but did not keep it. .Sgt. Joanne Pilotte, homicide unit of the Ottawa Police Services, was allegedly instructed by Det. Chris Benson, lead investigator in the homicide department, to collect social media footage surrounding the Freedom Convoy and defendants Lich and Barber. .The protest organizers are facing charges of mischief, intimidation, obstruction, and counselling to commit the same offenses not committed. .Pilotte said she “did not choose” which videos to download, but “was given a list of what to download.”.She said she did not keep the list “directing [her] downloads”, nor does she recall what happened to it, at which point she was asked by the judge to step out of the room..The judge then asked the defence if they had asked Benson if he had retained the list. .Defence attorney Marwa Younes said they had asked and Benson “doesn't remember” assigning Pilotte with such a task. .“You would think if she was tasked with something, they would keep a record,” Justice Heather Perkins-McVey said. “I will leave it at that.”.Pilotte then returned to the room and testified “she did not make any notes about it,” tweeted The Democracy Fund. .The court viewed several TikTok videos submitted by the defence, of which Pilotte admitted she had seen but “did not download,” or had downloaded but not viewed. .Pilotte testified she was instructed to collect video footage from February 9 and 11 2022, and was “not asked to capture” anything after those dates — to which the judge noted she had submitted a video on the 12th and said it contradicts her statement. ."Were you tasked by Detective Benson after February 12 to go back and download any videos from [Chris Barber's] TikTok account?" she asked.."I don't believe so," Pilotte responded, saying again she does not have a list..“All the more reason to have the list from Benson,” Perkins-McVey replied, and requested the notes Pilotte was using to “refresh [her] memory” should be entered as an exhibit.
