Accused bomber Guido Amsel requests out-of-province judge, cites bias
Guido Amsel, accused of sending mail bombs to three women in Manitoba, will find out later this week if his request is granted for an out-of-province judge to hear his case.
His lawyer Martin Glazer argued the case poses a conflict-of-interest for Manitoba judges because two of the victims are lawyers.
"[The case is] too local, [the legal community is] too close knit, [the issue is] too highly charged," Glazer told Chief Justice Glenn Joyal at a hearing on Monday.
Winnipeg's legal community is like "one big family," he added.
"These lawyers are like the sons and daughters of this court."
Glazer says "It's too local, it's too close knit. It's too highly charged," for a Manitoba judge to preside over Amsel's bail hearing
—@cbarghoutGlazer said if Amsel can't have an out-of-province judge, he should at least have one from outside of Winnipeg.
"Is it not in the interest of justice to consider an outside judge to hear this case?" he said.
Joyal said he will deliver his decision on the matter on Thursday morning.
Amsel, 49, is charged with three counts of attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault and a number of other weapons and explosives charges.
Three women, including a Winnipeg lawyer, were the targets of attacks last July in which bombs were rigged through recording devices and sent through the mail.
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Lawyer Maria Mitousis, 38, who at one time represented Amsel's ex-wife in divorce proceedings, lost her right hand and was badly injured when a package mailed to her exploded on July 3, 2015. She also suffered injuries to her face, chest and thighs and underwent 12 hours of surgery.
A package intended for Amsel's ex-wife was detonated by police July 4 at a business on Washington Avenue. No one was injured.
The third bomb was detonated by police near the law office of Orle Bargen and Davidson on Stradbrook Avenue on July 5. The lawyer who represented him in the divorce proceedings used to work there but no longer does.
Amsel was arrested shortly afterwards and has been in custody ever since.
He was denied bail at a hearing in September.