Jury finds protesters not guilty of conspiring to kill Mounties at Coutts blockade

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — A assemblage returned a verdict of not blameworthy precocious Friday for 2 men accused of colluding to termination RCMP officers astatine nan separator blockade astatine Coutts, Alta.

But Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert were some convicted connected different charges of mischief and possession of a limb for a vulnerable purpose. Olienick was besides convicted of possessing a tube bomb.

The 2 were arrested aft constabulary recovered a cache of weapons, ammunition and assemblage armour adjacent nan blockade astatine nan Canada-U. S. separator crossing successful 2022. The blockade was 1 of respective held crossed nan state to protestation COVID-19 rules and vaccine mandates.

The proceedings heard statements and matter messages from nan accused informing that nan blockade was a past guidelines against a tyrannical national government.

There was a large gasp successful nan packed courtroom successful Lethbridge, Alta., arsenic nan assemblage announced nan acquittal of nan astir superior charge, conspiracy to perpetrate murder. The men showed small emotion, and nan lawsuit was put complete to Aug. 12 to woody pinch nan convictions connected nan lesser charges.

“Freedom!” a protagonist later said extracurricular nan courthouse, and others hugged and cried.

The assemblage had been deliberating since Wednesday night.

The verdicts capped 2 months of grounds successful a lawsuit that progressive accusations of undercover femmes fatales, authorities conspiracies, matter connection bravado and satanic references.

The proceedings heard that Carbert called constabulary “losers” and “the enemy.” In texts to his mother, he equated nan blockade to a war, telling her if constabulary came successful and they mislaid nan conflict astatine Coutts, he would apt dice successful a wider conflict.

Olienick told undercover officers posing arsenic protestation volunteers that if nan blockade was lost, nan adjacent measurement mightiness beryllium an penetration from United Nations troops aliases Chinese communists.

He said if constabulary tried to large wind nan barricade, he would “slit their throats.”

His lawyer accused 1 of nan undercover female officers of flirting to get information, which nan serviceman denied. The serviceman testified bosom emojis connected texts betwixt her and Olienick indicated she liked nan messages, not nan messenger.

Olienick dismissed constabulary arsenic compliant toadies of “devil” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He besides messaged a friend to provender his cat, if he didn’t make it retired alive.

After his arrest, erstwhile he learned nan blockade grounded and everyone had left, Olienick was seen connected video distraught successful an quiet constabulary interrogation room, saying aloud, “I’m sorry, God.”

The defence didn’t title nan epithets and warnings but based on they didn’t equate to a conspiracy to kill.

Police recovered nan guns, ammunition and assemblage armour successful trailers adjacent nan blockade and much guns, ammunition and 2 tube bombs astatine Olienick’s location successful Claresholm, Alta.

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Olienick’s lawyer based on nan bombs were for business use.

The proceedings proved a situation for jurors and reflected nan tense, affectional nationalist statement complete pandemic rules and freedoms.

Four days into nan proceedings successful early June, jurors parking their cars successful beforehand of nan courthouse were greeted pinch a connection scrawled successful chalk connected a sidewalk: 840 Days Plus Already, Let nan Coutts Boys Out of Jail Now.

Two akin messages had been near connected nan different broadside of nan courthouse nan time earlier a British Columbia man was charged pinch obstruction of justness and banned from nan courthouse.

The judge rejected a defence petition for a mistrial.

Carbert’s lawyer, Katherin Beyak, said extracurricular nan courthouse aft nan verdicts that her customer was relieved but still successful shock. The assemblage was correct to acquit connected nan execution conspiracy charge, she said.

“It was an overcharge to statesman with,” Beyak said.

Marilyn Burns, Olienick’s lawyer, said she wasn’t amazed nan men were recovered not blameworthy of colluding to termination police.

“I’ve ne'er believed since taking this record connected that location was grounds that would support a uncovering of guilt successful that.”

She added that her customer has been successful custody for 2 1/2 years.

Two different protesters were besides charged pinch conspiracy to perpetrate execution astatine Coutts. In February, Christopher Lysak and Jerry Morin pleaded blameworthy to lesser charges.

Lysak was sentenced to 3 years for possession of a restricted firearm successful an unauthorized place, and Morin was sentenced to 3 1/2 years for conspiracy to postulation firearms. Both sentences amounted to clip nan men had already served successful pretrial custody.