Trial

Trial begins in school death threats case with wild day in court

Linda Pitney

Staff Reporter

Justice Bruno Cavion was practically pleading with Linda Pitney and Rafat Parsaei to accept the Crown’s offer and avoid a criminal trial.

“I don’t usually do this,” the veteran judge told the two women accused of sending death threats to a Toronto elementary school. “We’re not talking about admitting anything,” he said, reassuringly. “Just sign a piece of paper promising to keep the peace, and that’s it; it’s finished.”

The Crown was willing to rid itself of the unwieldy case — and its colourful characters — and withdraw the charges against the women if they agreed to sign peace bonds.

They would have no criminal record, Cavion explained. “Behave the way you’ve been behaving and that’s the end of it.” Because, he said, “God only knows” what will happen in trial. “It’s a bit of a crap shoot, I’ll tell you the truth. Maybe you’ll be acquitted, maybe you’ll be convicted. Who knows?”

Pitney, who earlier in the day tried to fire her lawyer in the midst of court proceedings, was unmoved.

“Why would I keep the peace when I didn’t disturb the peace?” she asked.

Every court official and all three lawyers slumped. Everyone, it seems, had hoped to avoid another minute of the case, let alone a multi-day trial.

“Sometimes we have to water the wine a bit,” Cavion said, shrugging a little.

“I won’t be doing that. I won’t sign anything,” Pitney replied.

Then she once again demanded her lawyer be removed. Cavion’s friendly demeanour disappeared.

“Keep quiet!” he bellowed. “Sit down and listen!”

The first witness was called, and the trial that has been almost two years in the making, finally began.