A basketball coach accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old child is tired of waiting for his trial and is now asking the court to order a halt to the proceedings because he finds the delays too long.
“Justice has failed to offer him a trial date within a reasonable time, he has been waiting for more than 30 months,” argued defense lawyer Claudel Trudeau Nepton on Thursday at the Montreal courthouse.
Sitting in the courtroom, Robert Litvack listened attentively, aware that his lawyer’s pleadings could put an end to his case of sexual assault on a minor.
This is because in May 2021, the fallen 43-year-old coach was handcuffed in connection with sexual abuse that he allegedly committed on a young person then aged 13. The affair caused a stir at the time, since Litvack coached a bantam AA baseball team, in addition to being a hockey coach.
According to the authorities, who had appealed to potential victims, he worked in the Lake Saint-Louis area, in addition to being an administrator for the region’s baseball organization.
The young people he trained were aged 13 to 21.
Pre-trial delays
Except that since his arrest, the case has dragged on. Litvack underwent his preliminary investigation in January 2023 and his trial is scheduled for July, but it is far too late according to the defense, who asked Judge Jean-Jacques Gagné to end the judicial process under the Jordan decision of the Supreme Court.
This judgment requires the courts to try an accused within “reasonable” time limits, barring exceptional circumstances. In the case of Litvack, the waiting time cannot exceed 30 months.
“The defense was proactive and reasonable in the case, we must look at the overall picture,” underlined Mr. Trudeau Nepton, after having scrutinized each countable delay.
The Crown, for its part, intends to oppose the defense’s request, and will present its arguments this afternoon.
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2024-03-14 18:17:15
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