The judge presiding over the unprecedented national security trial reminded jurors on Friday that they could believe “any, all or all” of the testimony they heard over the past seven weeks.
Judge Robert Marenger gave instructions to the 12-person jury that will decide the fate of former RCMP intelligence officer Cameron Ortiz, who is accused of leaking secrets to police targets.
The 51-year-old has pleaded not guilty to six charges in Ontario Superior Court, including multiple counts of sharing special operations information without authorization.
A former civilian member of the RCMP said he was acting to protect Canada from a “grave threat” posed by a foreign entity.
Featured videosClosing arguments are underway in Cameron Ortiz’s trial. A former RCMP intelligence official is accused of leaking confidential information to money laundering suspects. The defense contends he was participating in a covert operation aimed at protecting Canadians based on information from foreign agencies.
“You can believe some of the testimony of a particular witness, you can believe all of it, you can believe all of it,” Marenger said.
“When we go into the jury room and consider the case and consider the witnesses, we use it on a daily basis to determine whether people know what they’re talking about, whether they’re telling the truth. Please use the same common sense.”
The trial has interviewed nearly a dozen witnesses, including the defendant, over the past seven weeks and received more than 500 pages of evidence. Some of the evidence has been redacted.
“This is because of national security issues or concerns,” Marenger said.
Even before the trial began last month, a federal judge ruled that certain information could not be entered into evidence or mentioned in open court, Marenger said.
“This should not be blamed on either the prosecution or the defense. It’s just the nature of the case. We shouldn’t try to guess what the information is or isn’t,” he said. Ta.
Crown concludes closing argument
The Crown spent nearly five weeks in trial finding that Ortiz used his position within the RCMP (he led an intelligence unit with access to Canadian and allied intelligence services) to leak classified information and breach the Security of Information Act. claimed to have done so.
This is the first time this practice has been tested in court.
Ortiz was arrested by Phantom Secure CEO Vincent Ramos, who sold encrypted cell phones to organized crime members, and police officer Salim Ramos, who is suspected of being an agent of an international money laundering network. Henare and Muhammad Ashraf are accused of leaking special business information “without authority.” Terrorist connections.
He is also suspected of trying to leak information to Farzam Mehdzadeh. One RCMP witness said at Ortiz’s trial that he believed Mehdizadeh was working with “the most important money launderer in the world.”
Ortiz is accused of leaking information in the first months of 2015. Ortiz ran a division within the RCMP called Operations Research (OR).
According to the agreed statement of facts, he took approximately two weeks of annual leave in March 2015. He then underwent full-time French training until March 2016. Upon returning to his job, he was given the task of leading a new unit. National Information Coordination Center,
In Friday’s closing remarks, prosecutor Judy Kliwer told the jury that Ortiz never asked for authority to release information and that “what he was doing was extremely outrageous. “I never talked to anyone about it,” he said.
“He didn’t do it for Canada or the RCMP. He did it for his own ends,” she said.
Kriewer spent five hours over two days attacking Ortiz’s story, pointing out what she called inconsistencies.
“You noticed that while answering cross-examination questions, I heard him say, ‘I don’t remember, I don’t remember.’ It was supposed to be one of the most important,” she said.
“When I work on vacation, I somehow remember what I was working on.”
She also reminded the jury that the Crown did not have to prove the “why” of the case, only the “what.”
“Was there a profit motive? Probably. That’s not something the Crown has to prove,” she told jurors.
“All you have to determine is whether he communicated without authority.”
On Thursday, the defense focused on the “why” in closing arguments.
Defense lawyer John Doody said Ortiz’s motive was “to protect Canada and its people, just like you and me.”
During four days of in-camera testimony earlier this month, Ortiz claimed he was actually working on a covert operation based on information from foreign agencies.
Ortiz can’t tell his whole story: Defense
He testified that the alleged operation, which he called an “OR nudge,” was intended to lure criminals to encrypted email services so authorities could intercept their messages. Outside court, the email service blasted Ortiz’s claims as “completely false” and “despicable.”
Ortiz, who is permanently bound to secrecy, said he did not involve anyone else in the RCMP in his plan because he shared the information on the condition that it be kept private.
He also testified that Target had a mole within Canadian law enforcement.
During closing arguments, Doody said his client “didn’t shy away from testifying” despite the limitations on his testimony.
“Cameron Ortiz may very well be the first Canadian to be called upon to defend himself without the ability to tell the whole story to a jury,” he said.
Doody told jurors: “I think even after listening to Mr. Kam’s testimony, there were still doubts.” “And unfortunately, that’s the reality of this case.”
Mr Marangel is expected to finish his instructions on Monday, after which the jury will begin deliberations.
“Please take the weekend off,” Malanger told jurors.
“You’re going to have a busy week.”
