No Guido Amsel

Dutifully showed up in provincial courtroom 301 yesterday morning for 9:30, along with half a dozen mainstream reporters, expecting Mr. Amsel to make his first appearance. Instead it was another document bazar with lawyers in a shark like feeding frenzy streaming in and out of the courtroom seeking various legal documents as described in yesterday's posting.

After an hour or so it became clear there would be no Amsel appearance. It has been set over to tomorrow (Thursday, July 9th). A young female lawyer offered that he had retained the firm of Gindin Wolson Simmons Roitenberg but she didn't know which one. On CTV's local late night news yesterday it was suggested Jeff Gindin would be representing Guido Amsel. There may well be a bit of a stampede as the public tries to get a glimpse of someone who'd allegedly commit such a dastarderly crime.

According to CyberSmokeBlog's trusty legal analyst he may waive his right to appear in public in which case there'll be a closed circuit video link to the Remand Centre. Look for a hearing of a few minutes as the charges are officially read into the court record and his lawyer(s) of record are registered by the court.

The missing fingers

On CBC Winnipeg Radio's 6:00 a.m. newscast yesterday it carried an interview with one of Guido Amsel's neighbours who noted he was missing a couple fingers but assumed it was related to the nature of the work he did. Could he have been hoist by his own petard?

Future predictions?

Given the complexity of this case plus the fact there could be other charges laid, and assuming Mr. Amsel pleads not guilty, look for a couple years to go by before it is trial ready. Even at that it may not take place in Winnipeg if it's trial by jury and his defence is able to get a change of venue on the basis there has been so much adverse publicity in the local media their client cannot get a fair trial in that it will be impossible to find 12 unbiased/impartial plus alternates jurors.

Small world ..... eh?

A reader has pointed out that at one point in all this Guido Amsel was represented by Lori Douglas (Yes, that Lori Douglas!) and Andrew Swan (Yes, that Andrew Swan!) former Manitoba Justice Minister now relegated to the back benches because he and four NDP MLAs tried to oust Premier Greg Selinger.

This information is consistent because at one time Lori Douglas, her late husband Jack King and Andrew Swan all worked in the Family Law Division of Winnipeg BigLaw Thompson Dorfman Sweatman.

So tomorrow it's off again to Provincial Court. Third time lucky?

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk