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“Miss. Leach’s involvement, in the opinion of this court, continues to pose a risk to the protection and safety of the public.
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Jul 08, 2022 • 3 hours ago • 4 minutes read • 20 comments Tamara Leach was arrested in Medicine Hat, Alta., on a Canada-wide warrant on June 27 and, after being escorted to Ottawa by police, has remained in custody since then. Photo by Errol McGihon/Postmedia
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Tamara Leach remains in jail in Ottawa after a justice of the peace found she violated a condition of her release when she exchanged congratulations with a fellow Freedom Convoy organizer at an awards gala in Toronto last month.
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Leach, 49, was cleared during her final bail review to attend the June 16 gala, where she accepted a “Freedom Award” from the Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms and sat at a table with Maxime Bernier and keynote speaker Rex Murphy. Also sitting at the table was Tom Marazzo, one of the many people Leach is barred from having contact with as part of her bail conditions.
Leach was also pictured in a group photo from the hand-in-hand event with Marrazzo, Justice of the Peace Paul Harris said Friday, when she denied Leach bail and sided with the Crown, finding her in breach.
Leach’s attorney, Lawrence Greenspon, argued that these actions were “so minor” that they were never intended to be covered by the release conditions and “should not be prosecuted.”
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Greenspon also suggested that contact between Leach and Marrazzo would have been enabled by the presence of Leach’s legal counsel at the gala.
“Ms. Leach has chosen to exercise her freedom by not complying with a court-ordered no-contact order with Mr. Marazzo,” Harris said, pulling no punches to deliver her ruling in a courtroom packed with reporters and Leach supporters. .
“And she does it in such a way as to flaunt her actions under the false pretense that her lawyers are present.” Even if Ms. Leach is able to provide proof of her attorney’s presence, it is important to uphold the spirit of the no-contact condition.
Harris said the no-contact order was put in place to ensure there is no communication between the co-defendants except when consulting with an attorney in preparing a defense.
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While Marazzo’s name was included in the nondisclosure order, along with Pat King, Tyson Billings and others, Marazzo was not charged in connection with the demonstration.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous to think that the intent of (the no-contact order) can be superseded simply by the presence of your attorney,” Harris said, addressing Leach as she sat in the inmate’s box. “Your detention is necessary to maintain confidence in the administration of justice. This is my decision.”
Supporters of Tamara Leach gathered at the Elgin Street courthouse Friday afternoon.74 Photo by Tony Caldwell/Postmedia
Assistant District Attorney Moise Karimji presented new evidence at a bail hearing Tuesday with a series of text messages in which Leach discussed a “city lock-down strategy.”
Leach “clearly intervened” as one of the leaders of the Freedom Convoy, Harris said in his summary of the Crown’s arguments on Friday.
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“New evidence points to Ms. Leach’s involvement as a decision maker in bringing the nation’s capital to a standstill,” Harris said in his ruling. “And as such, even though the convoy protest is now over, the ‘freedom’ protests continue here in Ottawa and in other cities across Canada.
“Miss. Leach’s involvement, in the opinion of this court, continues to pose a risk to the protection and safety of the public.
Harris also rejected arguments by Leach’s lawyers that she should have been allowed to sit next to Marrazzo at the gala and be photographed with him because her lawyer was in attendance.
The JCCF has acknowledged funding her legal defense, and the organization’s lawyers are representing Lich in related civil proceedings.
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Harris called this a “flawed argument.”
“Ms. Leach chose to sit at her table, or at least remain at her table, with Mr. Tom Marrazzo, in close contact,” Harris said. “There is no evidence provided by her defense to support the presence of an attorney, nor the permission of Ms. Leach’s attorney to sit with Mr. Marrazzo and take a picture, arm in arm with Mr. Marrazzo.
“Ms. Leach was granted permission to attend the awards gala (JCCF),” Harris said. “The permission granted (by the previous judge) did not provide for Ms. Leach to sit at the same table with Mr. Marrazzo, yes interact with Mr. Marrazzo – however minor that may be – and pose for a picture with Mr. Marrazzo afterward.
“Such acts certainly undermine public confidence in the administration of justice,” he said.
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Harris said the evidence showed that Leach was “unwilling to follow court orders and willing to do whatever she wanted.”
Harris said he took note of the chaos caused by the Freedom Convoy truckers’ protest and pointed to the “increased severity” of crime. Leach has been charged with counseling various related offences, including mischief, intimidation and obstructing police.
“The Crown believes the objective weight of the new information (the ‘jam’ texts) and this offense could result in a maximum sentence of 10 years,” Harris said.
Leach “was a recognized decision-maker” and the judge said he found her actions “troubling in light of the events of last February here in the nation’s capital…
“Her communications alone indicate that she may have been some sort of leader, and it will be up to the trial court to determine how critical a role she played in the decision to lock down the city,” Harris said.
“Like her co-defendants, Ms. Leach will at some point have to answer for her involvement and role.”
ahelmer@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/helmera
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