Travis Patron found guilty of two counts of assault
A jury has found Travis Patron, former leader of the Canadian Nationalist Party, guilty on two counts of assault causing bodily harm.
Patron assaulted two Regina teachers in the 1900 block of Victoria Avenue on Nov. 2, 2019.
It took about 90 minutes for the jurors to reach a unanimous decision.
A sentencing hearing for Patron is scheduled for July 20th. Patron plans to represent himself.
PATRON CLOSING ARGUMENTS
Court heard closing arguments in the trial of Travis Patron, a former leader of the Canadian Nationalist Party.
Jury deliberations began on Thursday afternoon.
Patron faces two counts of assault causing bodily harm. He allegedly assaulted two Regina teachers in the 1900 block of Victoria Avenue on Nov. 2, 2019.
Patron, representing himself, addressed the jury during his closing remarks, which is the most court has heard from him after he declined to cross examine two of the crown’s three witnesses. He also declined to testify himself or submit any evidence.
Patron began his remarks by stating the indictment against him is “manifesting without merit and destined to fail.”
“My submission is multi-faceted, but I’ve consolidated it into a single faith-based argument,” Patron told the jury.
Patron’s address to the jury referenced the Queen, a religious text, the bible and a verse from Deuteronomy.
He argued the court fails to recognize him as a defense lawyer, which prevents him from making his case.
Shortly after he started his remarks, the judge interrupted Patron. She eventually dismissed the jury to speak with the accused.
All discussions between the judge, the crown and Patron are under a publication ban.
In the second half of his closing statement, Patron poked holes in the crown’s witness testimony from Regina Police Service Cst. Jessica McBride.
Patron argued that Cst. McBride did not witness the altercation and questioned why the officer did not detain the suspect the night of the alleged assault. He told the jury that McBride “falsely testified” that the suspect was wearing a black jacket, and she “departed from impartiality” by transporting the alleged victims to the hospital in her squad car.
The judge interrupted a second time while the jury was present to remind him to refrain from speaking about matters that are not evidence when Patron began discussing jury selection.
“That is not appropriate and it is unlawful,” the judge told him.
Patron ended his remarks by asking for forgiveness on both counts.
“To forget is human, but to forgive is divine. Be willing to forgive,” he told the jury before sitting down.
CROWN CLOSING ARGUMENTS
Crown prosecutor Ryan Snyder asked the jury to find Patron guilty on both charges during his closing remarks.
The alleged victims, Amanda Ruschiensky and Allison Tokarz, both testified they went out for drinks at Victoria’s Tavern following a tribute concert at the casino. They said they met Patron at the bar.
At the end of the night, the women told court, they were outside Ruschiensky’s friend’s apartment building waiting for a ride home when Patron approached them on the street.
He offered them a ride home, the women testified. After repeatedly declining his offer, Ruschiensky said Patron “shushed” her.
“Nobody shushes me,” Ruschiensky said to him.
At that point Patron smacked her in the head, Ruschiensky testified.
Ruschiensky ushered Tokarz into the apartment building foyer, following a couple that had let themselves in with a key card, she said.
During closing remarks, Snyder once again played surveillance video of inside the apartment building foyer that showed the alleged assault. He told the jury the video is an “important” piece of evidence.
The video shows two women entering the foyer. When one goes to leave, a man walks inside and knocks one of the women to the ground and grabs the other. He hits both of them again before walking out of the building.
Snyder said the entire assault happened in less than one minute.
The surveillance tape matches the events that both Ruschiensky and Tokarz described in their testimony.
The crown submitted a phone call and screenshots of text messages sent to Ruschiensky as evidence, showing Patron’s attempts to apologize to Ruschiensky for the assault.
Ruschiensky suffered a concussion from the assault, she testified. Tokarz broke her right wrist. Both women testified they have suffered from emotional stress since the alleged assault.
During the judge’s instructions to the jury, she asked the jurors to disregard some of Patron’s claims in his closing statement.
She clarified that Patron was given “ample opportunity” to cross examine the alleged victims and told the jury that the crown has not acted “maliciously” like Patron claimed in his remarks.
The judge told the jurors that it is not their job to “forgive” Patron, but rather it is their duty to be the judge of the facts in the case.
The jurors began deliberating on Thursday afternoon. They will be sequestered until a verdict is reached.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.