Sunday, January 19, 2014

Canada Day BC Legislature bomb plot suspects appear in BC Supreme Court - and I can't tell you almost anything about it!

Alleged pressure-cooker bombs and materials in BC Legislature plot - RCMP photo handout
Alleged BC Legislature bomb plot conspirators John Nuttall and Amanda Korody appeared in BC Supreme Court on Thursday morning for a trial management conference - and that's almost all I can tell you because of a sweeping publication ban covering all pre-trial motions and more.

On Friday I confirmed with a Court criminal registry official that the publication ban issued December 17, 2013 applies to all discussions of pre-trial motions or possible motions that were raised in Court and pretty much everything else to do with this case.

As readers here know, I have raised serious questions about RCMP conduct in this alleged case of domestic terrorism.  

I have asked how two recovering addicts on methadone in a basement apartment in Surrey could possibly mastermind a sophisticated plan that allegedly saw three pressure-cooker bombs - disarmed without their knowledge - placed at the BC Legislature to explode on Canada Day as thousands of people gathered for celebrations.

But as the Supreme Court Publication Ban states:

"No details of any Pre-Trial conferences and other appearances may be published in terms of anything that will disclose the nature of any proposed evidence or any pre-trial applications. What can be reported is the dates of any hearings set or any next appearance. For more details about the specific nature of the publication ban, please contact the Criminal Registry." 

Outside the Court, lawyer Mark Jette - representing Korody - briefly explained to myself and other media attending that because a jury trial is being requested by the defence, the publication ban is intended to ensure the jury pool is not "tainted" by information being disclosed and potential jurors being influenced by those stories.

That did not happen in the David Basi-Bob Virk / BC Legislature Raid trial that saw the two former BC Liberal Ministerial Aides charged with breach of trust and fraud related to passing on confidential information about the $1 billion BC Rail privatization because the accused elected for a trial by judge only - and the courts feel a judge can insulate themselves from reading or being affected by media coverage of pre-trial procedures.

If not, almost all of my reporting and that of others on Basi-Virk would have also been impossible due to the publication ban.  
Bill Tieleman outside BC Supreme Court

The only media coverage would then have been at the start of the short-lived trial in 2010 - and the public would have had no idea what happened for the roughly 5 years prior in lengthy and acrimonious court hearing.

So without breaching the publication ban and bringing the wrath of the Court on my head, I can only tell you that Nuttall and Korody were again very pleased to see each other; that Nuttall was wearing new dark framed stylish glasses on his closed shaved head, wearing a red-orange t-shirt and pants.  

Nuttall is powerfully built and appears to be about 6 feet 4 inches tall.  He also smiled at those attending the hearing but did not appear to know anyone there.

Korody was in green with short pigtails.  Sheriffs cautioned them from touching each other as the pair sat just 3 feet apart in the prisoners' dock.

I can report that tentative Court dates have been set for April 7 to 11; June 9-12 and June 16-20, along with a possible Court date February 28.  

Nuttall was represented in Court by Marilyn Sandford, a veteran criminal lawyer who has previously defended Robert William "Willy" Pickton with law firm partner Peter Ritchie and other high profile cases.  Sandford, who is working with Nuttall's original lawyer Tom Morino, declined all comment on the case outside court.

Federal Crown prosecutor Martha Devlin also appeared before Justice Terence Schultes in BC Supreme Court. 

And that's it - at least until the trial begins, when evidence presented in open court will be reportable - but for now, you can only surmise what happened.

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17 comments:

Grant G said...

Politics and scam, in my opinion the rcmp coaxed these two charming citizens to do this, they provided funding and access..

In Alberta security caught a young man trying to board an airplane with a pipebomb..

How come that wasn`t a huge terrorism story?

Could it be there was no pending provincial election?

Anonymous said...

Interesting hypothesis there Grant, want to provide and enlighten us with facts that are true to back up your story?

Let's get Bill here to investigate shall we? Things are bit slow in NDP land right now.


DPL said...

Something smells about this so called "Terrorist Case." Hopefully something will come of it that we the public can understand the motive, if any

Grant G said...

Well anon, I do believe carrying a pipebomb on a jet is a very serious offense..That bomb could blow the jet out of the sky.

What do we know?.

We know the undercover cop dropped off and picked up the male suspect in Surrey..(at his home)

We know this Mr. Big operation aided in financial resources for the operation.

And one must ask why there is a publication ban, what doesn`t the crown want us to hear?

And what vehicle drove the pressure cookers to the island.

The case reeks of the tail wagging the dog.

In Calgary they let the pipebomb packer go on his merry way, no charges, no detainment...

As for Bill T investigating, no need, he can`t tell of the court proceedings..

Expect a plea agreement and a non-disclosure clause to keep the relevant facts concealed.

Cheers





Anonymous said...

This was totally a predatory Mr. Big scenario where these two messed up souls were tagged by the Powers that Be to be the dupes.

It stinks to high heaven and this stuff will come out in court. There may be a publication ban, but details will come out eventually.

Thanks for keeping your eye on the bouncing ball, Bill.

Anonymous said...

That Mr. Big scenario is just that, a scenario. Unless there are specific traceable complete validated facts, it's a scenario.

There are many reasons for a publication ban at this stage, the jury for one thing has not been selected.

I figure Bill's supporters here (and those at the Tyee) will continue to complain about things they can't obviously figure out for themselves what is likely and what isn't without getting into another session of hate the RCMP. They have to have someone like Bill here to do it for them For others it's entertainment reading spiced with astounding hypothesis with no current basis in actual fact.

Guy Chua said...

Interesting how an " Anonymous " visits this site not once... but twice to complain about the NDP.... or maybe just to read his/hers useless comment. Could it be the weekend & no BC Liberal newsletter to read or another right wing nut who wants to read some real news.

GuyinVic

ron wilton said...

Two hapless down and outers, neither of whom owns a car, somehow purchased six brand new pressure cookers, filled them with explosives and shrapnel, smuggled them over to Victoria (on BC Ferries?), found there way to the leg and undetected were able to deploy these bombs in various locations, timed to explode simultaneously, designed to cause maximum harm and all this with borderline intelligence.

Wow!

Guy Chua said...

Anonymous said...

To Guy Fanegat:

If this anonymous and others want to read real news, it would not be from this blog, or the other left wing blog and "news" thing, The Tyee. It's from many sources including where Bill has appeared, and that is the hated MSM.

The NDP deserves and needs scruitiny too, or could it be that it's one of those quiet whisper subjects that no one is allowed to refer to?

The NDP screwed up and many including their supporters here are still in denial.

Seems it's easier to blame the right wingers than it is to look in the mirror. Could it be that too many left wingers hate to look at themselves and their party? I guess so.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said... To Guy Fangeat:

Why is it so important for people like "Anonymous" to visit sites they criticize ? And BTW, the Tyee has received National awards for it's reporting.
The NDP has received plenty of criticism from it's supporters for the failed election...and appears to be moving forward. Much more than I can say for right wing nuts who have nothing better to do than visit the sites they hate so much.

scotty on denman said...

You cited the corruption of the BC Rail corruption trial but this is another kind of railroad job, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

The only railroad around here is the NDP, and they went off the tracks in May.

The environmental cleanup will take months to complete clearing off the wreckage.

The environmentalists are not protesting the cleanup.

The Tyee obviously doesn't want to report on the mess the NDP created for themselves.

They're too busy criticising everyone and everything else except their own party.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said. " The Tyee obviously doesn't want to report on the mess the NDP created for themselves. "

More criticism from someone who is no doubt upset with himself for supporting the Liberals that kept him on unemployment.

A quick check shows no less than 10 Tyee stories about the NDP losing the election...

Give it a rest and find yourself a Liberal website that relishes in unsubstantiated comments.

Anonymous said...

A quick check on the Tyee, shows
far more critical stories about the BC Liberals, and the federal Conservatives, and what only 10 tap on the wrist critical commentaries about the NDP there? Not surprising, the Tyee is funded by left wing lunatics and labour.

Not interested in any Liberal website that has unsubstantiated comments. There are plenty on The Tyee to choose from. There are some real wacko left wingers there.

The Tyee used to be balanced but now it has a big list to the left.

Even Bill here is right wing or a Blue Liberal compared to some of the commentaries on The Tyee.

Bill's better project is writing columns for 24 Hours Vancouver.

e.a.f. said...

people, could we stay on topic? The article would appear to be about two people charged, who appeared in court and a ban on publication was issued.

Publican bans maybe useful if the "jury pool" is not to be "tainted". However, it is used so frequently, one does wonder why. Of course if a defendants lawyer things its o.k. then who are the rest of us to complain. it is in their best interest to have a fair trial.

The whole thing seemed a tad peculiar from the start. Two people without many resources, planning such an elaborate scheme. Of course if the RCMP used its Mr. Big routine, the trial maybe not just interesting but down right entertaining. Of course if the trial is going to be entertaining, no wonder there is a ban on publication.

Publication bans just leaves you wondering, what exactly is being hidden.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing "hidden" in the context of the legal activity that is there, but the armchair lawyers can't see. People are too suspect, there can't be much hidden that would not be presented in court (the real court, not the kangaroo courts of blogs which are hardly anything close to be fair trials). We do not know specifically about the details of this case, it will come out at a future date.

There will be a fair trial. The outcome may not be what the blog commentators want, but that's not the reason for the trial.

It's amazing that there are armchair lawyers who figure these things are always against the RCMP
or someone else, never giving the accused to be actually found guilty. It seems the blog commentator universe has already pleaded the accused as being victims without even starting to follow the court proceedings once they begin.