Grand Manan riot-related trial begins
An RCMP constable told a court Monday he had to pull a gun on Ronald Ross whenhe threatened the officer with a rock on Grand Manan, in the days leading up to a riot on the island last summer.
Const. Gerald Biggartold theSt. Andrews court about a vehicle being burned in Ross's driveway three weeks before the main confrontation, as well as a dispute between Ross, the man at the centre of the riot,and island resident Matt Lambert a week after that.
Rossbecame frustrated because he thought police were siding with residents and, at one point, he threatened the officer with a rock, Biggar testified.
Biggar had to threaten to shootRoss in order to defuse that situation, court heard.
Ross is facing a weapons charge related to the night of July 22, 2006,whenhis Grand Manan home was burned to theground in a vigilante-style attack,as well as three other charges predating the events of the riot: uttering threats againsthis neighbour Carter Foster and Foster's girlfriend,and threatening to burn their home.
Tomorrow, the two are expected to testify against their former neighbour as the trial continues.
Justice William Grant is hearing Ross's trial, which is expected to last four days.
Last November, two men were convicted on arson charges and two others were convicted on weapons charges in connection with the riot.
Gunshots were fired from both sides, fist-fights broke out and fires burned around Ross's home during an incident which gained national attention.
Eventually, the Ross home burned while Grand Manan residents formed a human chain, blocking firefighters from dousing the flames.
Outside the courtroom Monday,defence lawyerJoel Hansensaid, given the police testimony that it was Ross under attack that night, charges against his client are baseless.
"I don't think he should have been charged with the offence he faces today," Hansen said.
"I think the evidence is going to show he was responding to a very aggressive crowd that was out to get him, and that's what happened. They wanted him off the island and they got him off the island."