Metis Election Fraud Trial Gets Underway
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 23:30
The trial of the final person charged in connection with the infamous 2004 Metis Nation – Saskatchewan election is underway in Saskatoon.
Brian Amyotte has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit forgery,conspiracy to utter forged documents, uttering forged documents and forgery for his role in the May 26, 2004 election where the court has previously heard that ballot boxes were stuff and voting lists were falsified with the names of dead people, people in prison and duplicates.
So far, eight people have pleaded guilty for their involvement in that election.
All but one of them received conditional sentences.
Ralph Kennedy received a one-year jail term.
A few weeks ago, charges were stayed against Dwayne Roth, who had been elected president in that election, as the Crown felt a conviction was unlikely.
During this trial, the Crown plans to call seven witnesses, some of whom are those who have pleaded guilty for their involvement.
The credibility of the first witness was questioned yesterday.
Albert Delaire, testifying on behalf of the Crown, told court he was at numerous meetings with Amyotte at which strategy was discussed on how to get their “slate” of candidates to win, no matter what.
However, Amyotte’s lawyer, Robert Stevenson, says Amyotte was at no such meetings — but Delaire disagreed.
Stevenson also questioned why Delaire gave his statement to police more than four years after the election and a few weeks after Delaire himself was charged with defrauding the Metis Addictions Council of Saskatchewan (MACSI).
Delaire said there was never any thought to giving a statement in exchange for help with those charges.
He added he wanted charges dropped against his sister who was sick with cancer and has since passed away.
The trial is expected to last one to two weeks.
Amyotte will be tried by a jury of 10 women and two men.