Pandemic concerns jeopardize trials in case of beating in Dartmouth jail

Two large and complexNova Scotia criminal trials are in jeopardy because of pandemic restrictions.

The trials are for 15 men accused of beating a fellow inmate at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth, N.S.,on Dec. 2, 2019.

The victim had to be rushed to hospital with serious injuries. He later recovered.

Because of the logistics of the case, the accused were broken into two groups for separate trials. The first of those trials was to begin next Monday.

But in a conference call Wednesday afternoon, Justice Jamie Campbell voiced serious reservations about proceeding.

"It would be very imprudent and I think it would be a grave concern to everyone if we were to proceed with the trials," he told lawyers and the one accused, Kaz Cox,who is representing himself.

Transporting accused would be risky, judge says

A special courtroom was being constructed in the Nova Centre in downtown Halifax to accommodate the two trials. The new convention centre was chosen because it is large enough to create a courtroom that would allow for physical distancing among all the participants in the two trials.

But the judge said transporting the accused to and from the jails where they're now being held would be extremely risky under current conditions.

The accused have been scattered to other facilities since the assault. Some of them are being held in federal prisons, including the Atlantic Institution in Renous, N.B.

It's not clear whether they could be transported across provincial borders to attend their trial.

Some defence lawyers complained to Campbell that restrictions at the various jails have made it difficult for them to communicate with their clientssince they're relying on phone calls instead of in-person visits.

Portable video units could beoption

Crown prosecutor Rick Woodburn proposed an alternative to a trial whereeveryone would gather in the same courtroom.

Woodburn said the provincial Justice Department has acquired portable video units thatcould be installed in various jails. Theywould allow the accused to observe the proceedings without having to be transported into Halifax.

Defence lawyers questioned how they could adequately consult with their clients when they wouldn't be in the same room.

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should," Campbell saidin response to the Crown's proposal.

He asked the lawyers to consult with their clients and return to court Friday morning to see whether the Crown's proposal for a hybrid trial could be made to work.

Campbell said it would be difficult to balance the accused's right to prompt trials against the risks posed by the pandemic.

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