News (Media Awareness Project) - CN MB: Police Agent's Honesty On Trial |
| Title: | CN MB: Police Agent's Honesty On Trial |
| Published On: | 2007-03-22 |
| Source: | Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-12 10:15:21 |
POLICE AGENT'S HONESTY ON TRIAL
Grilled About Long Criminal Record
THE credibility of police agent Franco Atanasovic was put on trial
Wednesday and resulted in some testy exchanges with the lawyer
representing Hells Angel Ian Grant.
Fireworks began immediately when Atanasovic was asked whether he was
being honest when he picked up the Bible and swore an oath to tell
the truth in court earlier this week.
After Atanasovic insisted he was, defence lawyer Ian Garber
questioned why anybody should believe a word he says.
He noted Atanasovic made the same promise to police every time he
gave a statement during a year-long undercover operation.
Yet, Atanasovic admits stealing $5,000 in police money earmarked for
a drug buy, making secret calls without the knowledge of his handlers
and even pretending to speak on the phone with Hells Angel president
Ernie Dew in order to facilitate a drug deal.
Garber also grilled Atanasovic about his lengthy criminal record,
taking him through the intimate detail of each offence.
They include a McDonald's robbery in which he and two co-accused were
armed with sawed-off weapons, wore nylons over their faces and stole
$6,000 before locking employees in a cooler. Atanasovic was given a
three-year sentence for that crime in the late 1980s.
Atanasovic also got caught trying to sell cocaine to two undercover
police officers in 1993 in which he bragged about being a major
player in the local drug scene.
Garber seemed to strike a nerve when he called Atanasovic a "career criminal".
"Says you," Atanasovic shot back.
Garber and Atanasovic bickered about the term for a few moments
before Queen's Bench Justice John Scurfield intervened.
"Try not to let emotions get in the way of answering the questions,"
he told Atanasovic.
Grant is on trial for nine charges, including allegedly selling three
kilograms of cocaine and crystal meth to Atanasovic through third
parties. He is also accused of extorting a $60,000 drug-related debt
through a series of meetings and phone calls caught on audio and
video surveillance.
Grilled About Long Criminal Record
THE credibility of police agent Franco Atanasovic was put on trial
Wednesday and resulted in some testy exchanges with the lawyer
representing Hells Angel Ian Grant.
Fireworks began immediately when Atanasovic was asked whether he was
being honest when he picked up the Bible and swore an oath to tell
the truth in court earlier this week.
After Atanasovic insisted he was, defence lawyer Ian Garber
questioned why anybody should believe a word he says.
He noted Atanasovic made the same promise to police every time he
gave a statement during a year-long undercover operation.
Yet, Atanasovic admits stealing $5,000 in police money earmarked for
a drug buy, making secret calls without the knowledge of his handlers
and even pretending to speak on the phone with Hells Angel president
Ernie Dew in order to facilitate a drug deal.
Garber also grilled Atanasovic about his lengthy criminal record,
taking him through the intimate detail of each offence.
They include a McDonald's robbery in which he and two co-accused were
armed with sawed-off weapons, wore nylons over their faces and stole
$6,000 before locking employees in a cooler. Atanasovic was given a
three-year sentence for that crime in the late 1980s.
Atanasovic also got caught trying to sell cocaine to two undercover
police officers in 1993 in which he bragged about being a major
player in the local drug scene.
Garber seemed to strike a nerve when he called Atanasovic a "career criminal".
"Says you," Atanasovic shot back.
Garber and Atanasovic bickered about the term for a few moments
before Queen's Bench Justice John Scurfield intervened.
"Try not to let emotions get in the way of answering the questions,"
he told Atanasovic.
Grant is on trial for nine charges, including allegedly selling three
kilograms of cocaine and crystal meth to Atanasovic through third
parties. He is also accused of extorting a $60,000 drug-related debt
through a series of meetings and phone calls caught on audio and
video surveillance.
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