Mayor's Trial Verdict is Today

[waterloowarrior]

Today's the day!!


Jam-packed courthouse expected

THE OTTAWA CITIZENAUGUST 5, 2009

Court officials are expecting a packed public gallery this morning when Justice Douglas Cunningham delivers his verdict in the influence-peddling trial of Mayor Larry O'Brien.

To accommodate a larger crowd, the proceedings have been moved to courtroom 37, a venue often used for high-profile cases. The trial was conducted in a smaller courtroom down the hall, with public galleries that on some days were filled to capacity.

The court proceedings are open to the public, but seating is limited. Interested observers, the mayor's supporters, and journalists from numerous news organizations will compete for spots on the gallery benches. Those hoping to get a seat should arrive well before the 10 a.m. start time.

The court will also provide a closed-circuit video feed into another room on the third floor to accommodate more observers. A court official would not say Tuesday if any special security measures will be in place.

Those who cannot attend can follow the proceedings over the Internet. The Citizen will provide blow-by-blow coverage of the reading of the verdict via Twitter as Cunningham delivers it. News of the verdict will appear on ottawacitizen.com almost instantly.

The mayor has not publicly commented on any of the proceedings throughout the trial, but that will change tomorrow. After the verdict, he is to make a statement outside the courthouse at 161 Elgin St. He may also do longer interviews with some media organizations.

Television cameras are not permitted anywhere inside the courthouse, so there will be no live TV coverage from inside the courtroom.

Cable channel Rogers TV will provide coverage, commentary and reaction beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Follow on Twitter at @obrientrial or ottawacitizen.com.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

[harls]

My money is on an acquittal.

[Mille Sabords]

Originally Posted by harls

My money is on an acquittal.

I wouldn't be surprised, although it could go either way with this judge. Remember, he basically threw out O'Briens defence that "this is the way things work in politics". Well, the minute you say that, you may as well say I did it.

[harls]

It could go either way, it's true. Larry must be sweating bullets right about now..

If he's guilty does he go straight to jail? do not collect $200?

[Danman]

I'm sorta wishing for a mass riot in the downtown core....

[harls]

^ I'm sorta hoping he'll be wearing that sexy Simons outfit.

[YOWetal]

Back to business as usual?

Ottawa mayor cleared of influence-peddling


The judge in the trial of Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien will deliver his ruling WednesdayPhotograph by: File, CNSOTTAWA — Mayor Larry O'Brien of Ottawa was found not guilty on two charges of influence peddling Wednesday morning.


O'Brien had been accused of offering to use his influence to get Terry Kilrea an appointment to the National Parole Board in exchange for Kilrea's withdrawal from the 2006 mayoral race — a contest O'Brien later won.


O'Brien vacated the mayor's chair in early May when his trial began and did not take the stand in his own defence.


The defence called no witnesses, and Kilrea was the Crown's star witness.


During the trial, both Kilrea and O'Brien agreed they met on July 12, 2006, at O'Brien's request. Both agreed O'Brien tried to convince Kilrea to quit the mayoral race. And both agreed there was a discussion about Kilrea's interest in a parole board appointment.


Where they diverged was the context of that discussion.


In a bid to get a directed verdict in June to end the trial, O'Brien's defence argued the law on influence-peddling was never intended to apply to appointments offered to gain political advantage. Doing so, it claimed, was a well-established element of political culture in Canada.


But Justice Douglas Cunningham ruled that appointments to offices such as the parole board must be fair, open and transparent and can't be traded for political favour.


The ruling — touted by some as an affirmation of the justice system's ability to set parameters for political ethics — seemed to settle the key legal issues surrounding the case.

[kingcobra]

This trial should not happened in first place as our tax money was unnecessarily wasted.

[adam-machiavelli]

I think regardless of the verdict, most people in Ottawa still think he's a big d-bag.
If he runs again, I doubt he'd win.
If he wins, I doubt he'd be able to govern effectively.
If he is able to govern effectively, god help us all.

[p_xavier]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Back to business as usual?

In Ottawa's case, it's back to no business.

[canadave]

Originally Posted by d_jeffrey

In Ottawa's case, it's back to no business.

Zero means zero (business)! Or something along those lines.

Not shocked at the acquittal, but I am slightly disappointed nevertheless.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Mille Sabords

I wouldn't be surprised, although it could go either way with this judge. Remember, he basically threw out O'Briens defence that "this is the way things work in politics". Well, the minute you say that, you may as well say I did it.

And yet he was found not guilty...

[lrt's friend]

So, many consider that O'Brien has gained considerable political capital as a result of his acquittal and that he could be re-elected. What amazes me by those who claim this, is that it forgets how ineffective he has been as mayor and the court case was not a major factor in his ineffectiveness. One wonders how a certain voter group continues to have blind faith in O'Brien despite that he has been unable to deliver on his campaign promises.

[p_xavier]

From La Presse:

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

So, many consider that O'Brien has gained considerable political capital as a result of his acquittal and that he could be re-elected. What amazes me by those who claim this, is that it forgets how ineffective he has been as mayor and the court case was not a major factor in his ineffectiveness. One wonders how a certain voter group continues to have blind faith in O'Brien despite that he has been unable to deliver on his campaign promises.

I blame suburbia. He promised "zero means zero" and people jumped on that. Also, people are just plain stupid.

[Cre47]

Interesting to see that the City Holler blog is no longer working now. I guest the blogger got his wish and basically stop his page. I guess that might fuel some speculation that he was someone from the mayor's office - at least according to some of the other blog's comments.

[Cre47]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

I blame suburbia. He promised "zero means zero" and people jumped on that. Also, people are just plain stupid.

The real verdict will be in November 2010 - he has only 15 months left to prove he can run efficiently this city. Quite the task with the kind of council you guys have and his erratic performance so far.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Cre47

The real verdict will be in November 2010 - he has only 15 months left to prove he can run efficiently this city. Quite the task with the kind of council you guys have and his erratic performance so far.

Well I certainly won't be voting for him (not like I ever did anyway). Honestly, the more he and this council and staff continue to bumble around, the more I want to return to one of my ancestral homelands (Quebec).

[adam-machiavelli]

Council is fairly competant. It's Scary Larry who makes it ineffective.

[Cre47]

Apparently he only has 25% support in the next election according to a recent poll - there is a 35% undecided though