The contortionist lawyer!

Good Day Readers:

The sketch is by artist Tom Andrich from an article by The Canadian Press (Stobbe trial to resume Monday - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2012/02/10/sk-mb-stobbe-trial-120210.html) also carried in The Winnipeg Free the other day. Mr. Stobbe's lawyers are Mr. Tim Killeen and Shannon McNicol (left) from Killeen Rolston Wieib.

The artist was indeed very kind. Had to smile upon seeing the depiction As we remarked to Tim. Killeen during a recent break in proceedings, "We've never seen anyone who can sit in the same chair so many different ways - he must have at least 50 distinct positions. He doesn't occupy a chair he surrounds it" - to which he laughed and made a reference to cushions. We think this would be a very dangerous precedent given the recent problems with jurors - that's all the Court needs now counsel starting to doze off!

While still on the subject of counsel, both sides are to be commended for the polite, respectful way (to the extent possible) they have made themselves accessible to the media. What a pleasant change from a couple Senior Manitoba Crowns who could benefit from a basic 101 level course such as, Developing Media Relations Savvy for Dummies!

Much has been made in the media about the case against Mark Stobbe being based on circumstantial evidence. However, we'd caution the pundits on a couple points. According to our rough calculations the Court is less than half way through the witness list in a trial expected to go well into March. Justice Keyser in her 75-page address to the jury in Hince-Labossiere at one point stated:

"..... indirect evidence is called circumstantial. One is not better than the other (i.e. direct evidence) ....."

It is not difficult to find examples in legal annals of murder convictions based solely on indirect evidence where, for example, no body was ever found. Harder, yes, but certainly not impossible.

Sincerely,

Clare L. Pieuk