News (Media Awareness Project) - CN QU: Addict Wrong for Sting Job: Lawyer |
| Title: | CN QU: Addict Wrong for Sting Job: Lawyer |
| Published On: | 2007-11-10 |
| Source: | Montreal Gazette (CN QU) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-08-16 13:30:03 |
ADDICT WRONG FOR STING JOB: LAWYER
Former Con Suing RCMP for $47.5 Million, 20 Years After Being
Involved in Police Operation
Recruiting a small-time drug addict for an undercover sting operation
in Thailand was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, a
lawyer for Alain Olivier said during closing arguments yesterday.
On the first day of what he says will be three days of pleading,
Francois Audet claimed the RCMP and an informer built Olivier up to be
a bigger player than he was.
"(Barry) Bennett was an exceptional liar in front of you," Audet said
of the retired RCMP corporal involved in Operation Deception. "He's a
professional witness."
Olivier, 47, is suing the RCMP for $47.5 million, 20 years after he
was recruited for the sting operation to import heroin into Canada
from Thailand.
He alleges police entrapped him in a drug deal that landed him in a
Bangkok jail, serving a life sentence.
After 8 1/2 years, he was transferred to a prison in Quebec and was
later paroled on strict conditions. He will be completely free in 2029.
The lawsuit contends the RCMP "relentlessly hounded Olivier through
the use of threats and intimidation" for a period of 20 months.
Olivier, originally from Drummondville and with no previous criminal
record, finally obliged because he feared he'd be killed.
In 1987, Olivier had been identified to the RCMP as a possible drug
importer by informant Glen Barry, who had a charter boat company in
Gibson's Landing, B.C. Olivier was working at Barry's firm.
According to Audet, Barry and the RCMP set up a murder scene to make
Olivier believe that if he didn't co-operate with them, he'd be killed
as well.
So on Feb. 11, 1989, after making many excuses why he couldn't make
the trip, Olivier flew to Bangkok and made contact with a local taxi
driver. The cabbie agreed to supply heroin to Olivier's contacts, who
were undercover RCMP police officers.
As the deal was being made between the undercover agents and the
supplier, Thai police arrived and Olivier was arrested.
Audet is to continue his arguments on Monday.
Former Con Suing RCMP for $47.5 Million, 20 Years After Being
Involved in Police Operation
Recruiting a small-time drug addict for an undercover sting operation
in Thailand was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, a
lawyer for Alain Olivier said during closing arguments yesterday.
On the first day of what he says will be three days of pleading,
Francois Audet claimed the RCMP and an informer built Olivier up to be
a bigger player than he was.
"(Barry) Bennett was an exceptional liar in front of you," Audet said
of the retired RCMP corporal involved in Operation Deception. "He's a
professional witness."
Olivier, 47, is suing the RCMP for $47.5 million, 20 years after he
was recruited for the sting operation to import heroin into Canada
from Thailand.
He alleges police entrapped him in a drug deal that landed him in a
Bangkok jail, serving a life sentence.
After 8 1/2 years, he was transferred to a prison in Quebec and was
later paroled on strict conditions. He will be completely free in 2029.
The lawsuit contends the RCMP "relentlessly hounded Olivier through
the use of threats and intimidation" for a period of 20 months.
Olivier, originally from Drummondville and with no previous criminal
record, finally obliged because he feared he'd be killed.
In 1987, Olivier had been identified to the RCMP as a possible drug
importer by informant Glen Barry, who had a charter boat company in
Gibson's Landing, B.C. Olivier was working at Barry's firm.
According to Audet, Barry and the RCMP set up a murder scene to make
Olivier believe that if he didn't co-operate with them, he'd be killed
as well.
So on Feb. 11, 1989, after making many excuses why he couldn't make
the trip, Olivier flew to Bangkok and made contact with a local taxi
driver. The cabbie agreed to supply heroin to Olivier's contacts, who
were undercover RCMP police officers.
As the deal was being made between the undercover agents and the
supplier, Thai police arrived and Olivier was arrested.
Audet is to continue his arguments on Monday.
Member Comments |
No member comments available...
