Gov’t witness says she did not keep list of Freedom Convoy leader videos the judge asked to see
On the eighth day of the trial in Ottawa, the court is still attempting to determine whether to allow social media posts as evidence.
(LifeSiteNews) – On the eighth day of Freedom Convoy leaders Tamara Lich and Chris Barber’s trial, the court heard a Crown police witness say she did not keep a list of videos showing the protests despite being ordered to download the videos from a list she was given.
Sgt. Joanne Pilotte of the Ottawa Police Service continued her testimony Thursday on behalf of the Crown and was cross-examined during the last portions of the ‘voir dire,’ or trial within a trial. This mini trial will determine whether certain social media posts will be allowed to be submitted as evidence to the court.
According to Pilotte, she was ordered by Detective Chris Benson of the Ottawa Police to collect video footage of the Freedom Convoy leaders on February 9-11, 2022, but was told not to “capture” anything after these dates.
However, Justice Heather Perkins-McVey reminded Pilotte she had already submitted a video from February 12 to the court, which she noted contradicts her statement about the dates.
Pilotte said in court that she did not “choose” which videos she was told to download but confirmed she was given a “list” of which ones to archive.
However, she then said she did not keep this “list,” and did not remember what happened to it. She was then told by Perkins-McVey to leave the room.
The judge asked the defense if they had asked Benson if he had a copy of the list, to which defence attorney Marwa Younes said they did ask him, but he said he “doesn’t remember” appointing Pilotte with the task to compile the list.
Perkins-McVey then observed, “You would think if she was tasked with something, they would keep a record.” She then said she would “leave it at that.”
When Pilotte returned to the court, she testified that she did not make any “notes” about the list.
When the defense showed TikTok videos of the Freedom Convoy leaders, in which many show them calling for calm and “peace” during the protests, to Pilotte, she said she had seen them but did not “download” these to her list.