At The Law Courts!

Good Day Readers:

Spent the morning at the Mark Stobbe trial a voir dire session (jury excluded). All we're able to tell you is it's unlikely to get the case for another week. Best guess? Deliberations will begin early during the week of March 26. Proceedings resumes Monday morning at 10:00 in Courtroom 230.

In the afternoon attended Courtroom 120 where Michael Pearce is on trial (manslaughter) for the January 2007 beating death of Stuart Mark with whom he'd had a casual homosexual affair. The incident occurred after the latter told Mr. Pearce he was HIV positive. The jury will get to see a 5-hour police polygraph examination a rarity in Canadian jurisprudence given such evidence is usually ruled inadmissible. However, Justice Shawn Greenberg decided jurors need to see it to be able to properly assess a videotaped confession played earlier.

As the Stobbe case winds down we'll begin coverage of a rape trial scheduled to begin Monday in Queen's Bench.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk