The trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber got off to an exasperating start for Justice Perkins-McVey and the defence lawyers on Friday morning after Perkins-McVey took the prosecution to task for introducing late information.. Thursday’s trial ended abruptly following “confusion between judge, prosecution, and defence over the scale of the alleged criminal conspiracy involving Tamara Lich/Chris Barber, with the prosecution stating the conspiracy involved both defendants ‘and [unspecified] others.’”.Diane Magas, counsel for Barber, opened Friday's proceedings with an objection to “late disclosure and how it impacts her ability to defend her client,” The Democracy Fund (TDF) tweeted. .“The objection is about the defence not knowing which documents the crown is relying upon.”.The judge said three times she is “very unhappy” with the Crown’s disclosure problem and then called a recess, advising that when court resumes, the Crown will have an opportunity to explain. .An early recess was called to deal with the Crown’s disclosure issues. .Upon resumption of the trial, Justice Perkins-McVey asked when the defence was “advised of materials that the Crown would be relying upon,” TDF tweeted. “The question is whether it was properly delineated.”.The Crown argued there was no “defence request” between August 1 and September 3, 2023, as pertains to the evidence in question, which is smartphone “chats” the Crown refers to in the trial. .“[The] judge says three times she ‘is very unhappy’ w/the Crown's attempt to introduce new evidence on Day 4,” tweeted Robert Kraychik of Rebel News, “[she] adds that it should've been done ‘long before’ the trial's beginning, and that it compromises disclosure and the defense's ability to prepare/respond.”.The Crown asserted that it “submitted 4000 pages of digital chats/messages as part of disclosure by August 1, but is now seeking to delineate about 2000 pages it wishes to specifically use as evidence.”.The court is set to hear Friday from an Ottawa Police Service officer who “operated in an intelligence capacity with respect to surveilling the Freedom Convoy to be called as a witness for the prosecution,” as per Kraychik’s tweet..Before the court paused for an early lunch break, Lawrence Greenspon, counsel for Lich, submitted that the Crown’s “approach to disclosure, what they are relying upon, and [the] lately brought Carter application are causing [the] defence to have to review already viewed disclosure,” tweeted TDF. “A monumental task, especially when you are in the midst of trial.”.Court is in recess.
