Day four of the criminal trial of "Freedom Convoy" organizer Tamara Lich and Chris Barber is set to focus on whether the content of the group's Facebook page should be entered into evidence. Barber arrives for his trial at the courthouse in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
OTTAWA – The judge presiding over the trial of “Freedom Convoy” organizers says she is seriously unhappy about the late disclosure of text message evidence to the defence.
Justice Heather Perkins-McVey called a short recess to “settle” herself after defence lawyers told her they had received two heavy binders of evidence Thursday, three days after the trial began.
The messages are from the cellphone belonging to Chris Barber, who is co-accused with Tamara Lich of mischief, counselling others to convince mischief and obstructing police.
The charges relate to the role the two played organizing the convoy that blocked streets in downtown Ottawa for three weeks in the winter of 2022.
Barber’s lawyer Diane Magas says she asked the Crown to whittle down tens of thousands her client’s text messages to just the ones expected to be entered into evidence.
Crown lawyer Tim Radcliffe says that request only came just before the trial started and was fulfilled this week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 8, 2023.
