At the Bagotville base, another step was taken Monday in the court-martial of Master Corporal Claude Houde, similar to the presentation of arguments.
Once the arguments had been presented, the trial was adjourned while Judge Martin Pelletier prepared his instructions for the committee responsible for deciding the fate to be allocated for Claude Houde. The magistrate therefore withdrew to formulate the directives in question.
He indicated that he had already accomplished much and that the committee could reconvene on Tuesday afternoon. However, the judge added that he did not rule out postponing the presentation of his instructions until Wednesday if his drafting work was more laborious than expected.
M’s argument.e Baby Cormier
Prosecutor Elisabeth Baby-Cormier was the first to appear before the Canadian Armed Forces committee serving as a jury. He spoke for over half an hour.
He went back long to the stages that led to the filing of three sexual assault cases, including one with wounds, against Claude Houde.
He contended that between December 2015 and March 2017, the Complainant and Master Corporal Houde had three unintentional sexual encounters. He described each of the reports in detail.
The prosecutor then proceeded with the offensive by excessively devaluing the strategy adopted by the defense attorney.
According to him, Jean-Marc Tremblay tried to achieve a magic trick by lifting peripheral reality there is not any direct connection to the case in the hope of succeeding in diverting the committee’s attention from what is important. However, according to Major Baby-Cormier, these elements are just air.
Elisabeth Baby-Cormier also warned the committee that Ms.e No doubt Tremblay will try to convince him that the complainant had a serious motive in inventing the stories on which the three accusations are based.
The prosecutor reiterated the fact that in 2019, the woman filed a stalking complaint against the accused without mentioning any problematic sexual activity. Major Baby-Cormier pointed out that at that time, the Complainant was silent because he was ashamed to be hurt and thathe could not believe it had happened to him.
He said the woman may be afraid to face revenge or face misunderstanding.
Elisabeth Baby-Cormier insisted that it was not because the report was delayed so there was not any sexual assault. He insisted without permission in the three reports that are at the heart of this matter.
The accused only served his personal sexual interestsconclusion of the prosecutor.
The defensive version
Claude Houde’s lawyer began his argument for nearly an hour by urging the basic principles of the law. Jean-Marc Tremblay first reminded the committee responsible for deciding his client’s fate that he was innocent until proven guilty.
He also mentioned that, in order to determine whether Master Corporal Houde was guilty of the allegations against him, his statements and those of the complainants needed to be scrutinized carefully.
The lawyer pointed out that, in order to determine if the accused and his alleged victim were reliable and credible, the committee would have to ask if they had contradicted themselves, if they had avoided the questions or if they had exaggerated.
Me Tremblay strongly criticized the complainant’s version of the facts, which also belongs to the Canadian Armed Forces. His story has no head or tailhe launched.
Jean-Marc Tremblay said Claude Houde testified with confidence, assurance and strictness. He remembered the details and he did not shy away from questionshe said.
His testimony is preserveddid he declare.
Me Tremblay tried to reduce the value of the alleged version of the victim’s facts by calling it Defamation.
” All of his testimony is pure fiction. Nothing real. It’s a badly compiled novel, sewn with white yarn. “
The complainant’s story goes so far as to sometimes lose his Latinhe exclaimed.
Source: Radio-Canada
