The choose presiding over an unprecedented nationwide safety trial reminded the jury Friday that they will imagine “some, none or all” of the testimony they’ve heard over the previous seven weeks.
Justice Robert Maranger delivered his directions to the 12 jurors who will resolve the destiny of Cameron Ortis, the previous RCMP intelligence official accused of leaking secrets and techniques to police targets.
Ortis has pleaded not responsible in Ontario Superior Court docket to 6 fees, together with a number of counts of sharing particular operational info with out authority.
The previous civilian member of the RCMP mentioned he was performing to guard Canada from a “grave risk” handed alongside by a international entity.
Featured VideoClosing arguments are underway within the trial of Cameron Ortis. The previous senior RCMP intelligence official is accused of leaking top-secret info to a suspected cash launderer. The defence says he was a part of a covert operation geared toward defending Canadians based mostly on info from a international company.
“It’s possible you’ll imagine some, none or all the testimony of a given witness,” mentioned Maranger.
“If you go to the jury room to contemplate the case, and think about the witnesses, use the identical widespread sense that you just use on daily basis in deciding whether or not individuals know what they’re speaking about, whether or not they’re telling the reality.”
The trial has heard from almost a dozen witnesses over the previous seven weeks — together with the accused — and has acquired greater than 500 pages of proof. A number of the proof has been redacted.
“That is due to nationwide safety points, or issues,” Maranger mentioned.
Even earlier than the trial began final month, a Federal Court docket choose dominated that sure info couldn’t be entered into proof or talked about in open courtroom, Maranger mentioned.
“This shouldn’t be held towards both the prosecution or the defence. It’s simply the character of the case. You shouldn’t attempt to guess what the knowledge would possibly or may not be,” he mentioned.
Crown wraps its closing arguments
The Crown spent shut to 5 weeks of the trial arguing Ortis used his place throughout the RCMP — main an intelligence unit that had entry to Canadian and allied intelligence — to leak delicate info, violating the Safety of Data Act.
It is the primary time Safety of Data Act fees have been examined out in courtroom.
The 51-year-old is accused of three counts of sharing particular operational info “deliberately and with out authority” and one depend of making an attempt to share particular operational info. He additionally faces two Felony Code fees: breach of belief and unauthorized use of a pc.
In her closing remarks Friday, Crown prosecutor Judy Kliewer informed the jury that Ortis by no means sought authority to launch the knowledge “as a result of what he was doing is one thing that was so out of line, he by no means informed anybody about it.”
“He did not do it for Canada or the RCMP. He did it for his personal functions,” she mentioned.
For 5 hours over two days, Kliewer attacked Ortis’s story, pointing to what she referred to as inconsistencies.
She additionally reminded the jury the Crown would not must show the “why” of the case — solely the “what.”
“Was there a revenue motive? Perhaps. It is not one thing the Crown has to show,” she mentioned to the jury.
“All it’s a must to resolve is, did he talk with out authority?”
On Thursday, the defence crew used its closing arguments to give attention to the “why.”
Ortis was motivated “to guard Canada and its residents such as you and me,” mentioned defence lawyer Jon Doody.
Throughout his 4 days of in-camera testimony earlier this month, Ortis claimed he was really engaged on a secret operation based mostly on info from a international company.
Ortis cannot inform his complete story: defence
He testified the alleged operation, which he mentioned he referred to as “OR Nudge,” was supposed to lure criminals to an encrypted e mail service to permit authorities to intercept their messages. Outdoors of the courtroom, the e-mail service has referred to as Ortis’s claims “fully false” and “salacious.”
Ortis, who’s completely sure to secrecy, mentioned he did not loop anybody else from the RCMP in on his plan as a result of his counterpart shared info with him on the situation that it’s stored non-public.
He additionally testified the targets had moles inside Canadian regulation enforcement companies.
Ortis completed testifying on Monday, behind closed doorways. A compete transcript of that testimony has not but been made public.
Throughout his closing arguments, Doody mentioned his consumer “didn’t cower away from testifying” regardless of limitations on his testimony.
“Cameron Ortis is kind of presumably the primary Canadian required to testify in their very own defence with out the flexibility to inform the jury … the complete story,” he mentioned.
“I believe that after listening to Cam’s testimony, you had been nonetheless left with questions,” Doody added, addressing jurors. “And sadly, that is a actuality of this case.”
Maranger is predicted to complete his directions Monday, after which the jury will start its deliberations.
“Relaxation for the weekend,” Maranger informed the jury.
“You are going to have a busy week.”
