Nathalie Normandeau did everything to obtain a trial that she will “probably never”, laments her attorney, who now calls for a stay of proceedings for “unreasonable” delays.
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On the occasion of the second day of hearing the Jordan request, Wednesday, Me Maxime Roy recalled that his client had mandated him from the start so that she could have a trial as soon as possible, in the wake of his arrested by UPAC in March 2016, more than four years ago.
Without openly blaming his co-defendants (Marc-Yvan Côté, François Roussy, Bruno Lortie, France Michaud and Mario Martel), Mr.me Normandeau nevertheless believes that she has paid the price for their crusade before the Supreme Court.
The latter had appealed, in vain, to the highest court in the country in the hope of forcing a journalist to reveal her sources to identify the perpetrators of the leaks, as part of another request to drop the trial.
This request has not yet been decided and will have to be before the trial is held, Judge André Perreault has already ruled. Prosecutors are now awaiting the findings of the Oath investigation into the leaks, carried out by the Office of Independent Investigations, which could stretch over a year or two, perhaps more.
Marc-Yvan Côté’s lawyer, Me Jacques Larochelle, believes in the circumstances that a trial cannot be held before the end of 2021 or even 2022. Pandemic or not, “we are talking about a case where the overall delay will probably be of the order of six years ”, hammered Me Larochelle.
A legal “arm lock”
Ms. Normandeau was the victim of a legal “arm lock”, expressed Me Roy, adding that her client – who faces counts of breach of trust, fraud against the government and corruption in municipal affairs – does not is “in no way responsible for the situation”.
“It was not she who decided to assign Marie-Maude Denis; it was not she who decided to bring the case to the Supreme Court, ”insisted the lawyer, recalling that she even called for a separate trial.
“Everyone, to varying degrees, missed Ms. Normandeau, who only wanted to have a trial within a reasonable time,” added Mr. Roy, reiterating that the 18-month ceiling, established by the Jordan decision, has been “largely outdated” and that the prosecution is the main culprit.
The Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions will present his arguments on Thursday and Friday.
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