I am heading back to Pembroke this morning for day 3 of the Monsignor Robert Borne sex abuse trial. Things have moved quickly – I think the trial may wrap up today.
I will give a very quick recap of yesterday’s events …
Typical of most of these trials there were a mere handful of people in attendance. Barring court staff the following were in attendance:
Crown attorney (John Pepper)
the investigating OPP officer (Jamie Trader)
Borne’s defence layer (Robert Carew)
Monisgnor Borne
Monisgnor Borne’s mother ? (I was told on one hand that it was she, and on another that it was not)
Monsignor Bornes sister
Father Peter Proulx (sex abuse contact person for the Diocese of Pembroke, Ontario)
A youngish well-dressed fellow with a lap-top who was busily transcribing testimony.
Two victims of Monsignor Prince.
Me and the lady with whom I travelled
Two reporters – one from the Pembroke Observer and the other from the Eganville Leader.
That was it!
I thought perhaps the place would be packed, but, not so.
I, my friend and the Prince victims and one reporter sat on the defence side of the court room – behind Borne. The others sat on the Crown side
There was one security guard in the room at all times – at times there were two.
Borne was dressed in a dark suit. He is shorter than I had imagined, has salt and pepper hair and is balding. He sat with his lawyer – did not look around at all throughout the proccedings. He is a slightly built man – am told that he has lost a lot of weight.
There was a bit of a ruckus over one of the complainants blogging on Sylvia’s Site some months ago. The ruckus started in the afternoon of Day One so I missed the essence of the issue but did catch the tail end. A red herring I’d say.
Both complainants have testified. The judge will rule this morning on whether or not she will accept the Crown’s request that the evidence of both complainants be viewed as same case. If she agrees then there is a possibility that Borne will take the stand. If she does not agree, then I don’t know what the defence case plans to do – it may well rest. It’s an important decision.
I must get ready to go
Enough for now,
Sylvia