A lawyer for Anthony Olienick says he went to the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., to make a peaceful statement but was instead ensnared by flirting, lying female Mounties working undercover.
Marilyn Burns, in her closing argument Tuesday to a jury in Lethbridge, Alta., said Olienick was a victim of a “disastrous police investigation.”
Olienick and Chris Carbert are charged with conspiring to murder police after a cache of guns, body armour and ammunition was found in trailers at Coutts in early 2022.
More weapons, ammunition and pipe bombs were later found at Olienick’s home.
Jurors have been hearing evidence for seven weeks about the blockade, which tied up traffic at the busy Canada-U. S. border crossing to protest COVID-19 rules and vaccine mandates.
Three undercover officers infiltrated the protest and testified Olienick told them the blockade was the fight of his life.
They said Olienick considered police the compliant pawns of “devil” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and that he vowed to slit the throats of officers if they stormed the barricades.
Burns urged jurors to disregard the undercover officers’ testimony, characterizing it as marbled with lies.
“Undercover officers freely admit they are trained to lie,” said Burns.
“I would submit that was painfully obvious in the course of the trial.”
Burns earlier accused one of the undercover officers of flirting with Olienick to obtain information, a practice that would violate legal and ethical rules.
She noted the officer sent Olienick text messages with heart emojis. Burns said the hearts suggest affection but the officer said they were meant to show approval of the message, not the messenger.
Burns also challenged the allegation that Olienick and Carbert conspired together.
She said Olienick was nothing but an acquaintance of Carbert.
“The two men sitting across from you should not be together,” the lawyer said.
“Who would Mr. Olienick have conspired to murder police officers with? The answer is no one.”
Jurors are expected to begin deliberations Wednesday.
Carbert and Olienick are also charged with mischief and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, while Olienick faces a further charge of possessing a pipe bomb.