Jury in Alberta murder-conspiracy trial to hear final arguments about Coutts blockade

Lawyers are group to make last arguments to a assemblage coming successful nan proceedings of 2 men accused of colluding to execution constabulary astatine nan 2022 separator blockade astatine Coutts, Alta.

Jurors person been proceeding grounds for 7 weeks successful nan lawsuit against Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert.

Both men were charged aft a cache of guns, assemblage armour and ammunition was recovered successful trailers astatine Coutts.

The blockade tied up postulation for 2 weeks astatine nan engaged Canada-U.S. separator crossing to protestation COVID-19 rules and vaccine mandates.

The Crown has based on nan 2 men were going to usage nan blockade arsenic a motorboat pad to commencement a gyration and were prepared to usage unit against nan RCMP.

The defence has said nan accused were worried astir losing their individual authorities and freedoms, but location was nary scheme to do constabulary harm.

Jurors are expected to commencement their deliberations Wednesday.

Olienick’s lawyer has told nan proceedings her customer believed group successful Coutts were acrophobic of being attacked by RCMP. Carbert testified he had nary knowledge of a conspiracy and immoderate inflammatory things he said were conscionable a dumb mistake.

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Undercover officers testified Olienick told them he considered constabulary pawns of “devil” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and that if constabulary stormed nan blockade he would “slit their throats.”

Text messages exchanged among protesters suggested galore were fresh to make a past guidelines astatine nan blockade. But aft constabulary made arrests and seized weapons, remaining demonstrators packed up and near peacefully.

Carbert and Olienick are besides charged pinch mischief and possession of a limb for a vulnerable purpose, while Olienick faces a further complaint of possessing a tube bomb.