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
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
BREAKING 6 injured in Sharbot Lake, Ont. crash; 2 in life-threatening condition
Ontario Provincial Police say six people have suffered severe injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Sharbot Lake, Ont, including two in life-threatening condition.