Jury deciding fate of B.C. animal rights activists after hog farm protest
A jury has begun deliberations in the criminal trial against three animal rights activists charged after a protest at an Abbotsford pig farm.
Heading into court, Amy Soranno, Roy Sasano and Nick Schafer said they were feeling “confident” and “optimistic.”
Soranno and Schafer are facing charges of break-and-enter and mischief. Sasano faces only a single mischief charge.
“We shouldn’t be found guilty because the evidence doesn’t meet the threshold for the charges,” said Sasano.
The trial against them began about two weeks ago.
In 2019, they were arrested after a protest at the Excelsior Hog Farm in Abbotsford.
The protest was sparked by the release of a disturbing video by animal rights group PETA. The video showed dead piglets as well as the corpse of a larger pig. PETA claimed the images were captured at the farm.
The Crown had alleged the pig barn was entered to install secret video cameras which were found on devices seized after the protest. But defence told CTV News that the judge withdrew charges linked to the cameras.
“The charges that they’re facing now are substantially different than what they were facing at the beginning of the trial,” said Soranno’s lawyer, Leo Salloum of Grill Barristers.
“There’s no denying that we were in the building,” said Schafer. “If there was a law broken, the law was trespass. As my lawyer pointed out, the reason we were in the building was nothing more than an information gathering endeavour."
“Our lawyers have done an incredible job in proving no mischief actually occurred, so now it’s up to the jury to decide if that’s true,” said Soranno.
The SPCA reviewed the PETA video, but did not recommend charges against the farm.
Correction
This story has been updated to correct the name of the company that employs Soranno's lawyer. It is Grill Barristers, not Brill Barristers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
New analysis of Beethoven's hair reveals possible cause of mysterious ailments, scientists say
High levels of lead detected in authenticated locks of Ludwig van Beethoven's hair suggest that the composer had lead poisoning, which may have contributed to ailments he endured over the course of his life, including deafness, according to new research.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.