PUBLISHER'S NOTE: One can access live CBC coverage of the proceeding at the following link:
Follow the live blog here
STORY: "Ex-deputy police chief made false statements at Oland murder trial, investigator finds," published by CBC News on December 10, 2018. (Excellent background for on-going retrial set to resume tomorrow. The retrial - loaded with significant forensic issues - is expected to last as long as four months. I am dipping into it from time to time. HL);
PHOTO CAPTION: "
Glen McCloskey retired as deputy chief of the Saint John Police Force
in April, before he was scheduled to face an arbitration hearing in
connection with the Oland case."
PHOTO CAPTION: "Dennis Oland's retrial for second-degree murder is scheduled to continue on Tuesday and last four months."
GIST: "A former
deputy chief of the Saint John Police Force made false statements at
Dennis Oland's first murder trial and to Halifax police officers
investigating his conduct, an independent investigator hired by the New
Brunswick Police Commission found. Glen McCloskey, a
30-year-veteran of the force, had no active role in the investigation
into Richard Oland's homicide in July 2011. But he walked around the bloody crime scene twice before forensic testing
was complete and later encouraged another officer not to tell the court
about it, according to the summary of investigator Barry MacKnight's
report to the commission. The report was among stacks of court documents related
to Dennis Oland's defence lawyers' fight for third-party records at
hearings earlier this year as they prepared for his retrial. The documents include prosecutors' emails about McCloskey and another officer's tour of the crime scene. They were under a publication ban but became public after it was decided the retrial would go ahead last month without a jury. The
defence has alleged the Crown conspired before the first trial to
conceal the fact McCloskey had gone through the crime scene, which officers were trying to keep free of contamination while the head of forensics collected evidence. Richard
Oland, 69 was found dead in a pool of blood in his office at 52
Canterbury St. on the morning of July 7, 2011. The multimillionaire
suffered 45 sharp- and blunt-force injuries to his head, neck and hands. His son, Dennis, 50, who met with the prominent businessman the
night before, was found guilty in December 2015 of second-degree
murder. His conviction was overturned 10 months later because of an
error in the trial judge's instructions to the jury. MacKnight's
report to the police commission stemmed from testimony at Oland's first
trial that suggested McCloskey tried to keep his presence at the
victim's office unknown to the court. MacKnight said he
found McCloskey committed five breaches of the Police Act: two counts
of discreditable conduct, and one count each of deceitful behaviour,
neglect of duty, and being party to a breach of the professional code of
conduct. A further allegation of neglect of duty was deemed unsubstantiated. McCloskey, who is now retired, declined through his lawyer Nathalie Godbout to comment, citing the ongoing court proceedings. At
Dennis Oland's first murder trial, retired Staff Sgt. Mike King
testified that in 2014, either before or during the preliminary inquiry,
McCloskey told him he didn't "have to" tell anyone he'd entered the
crime scene. McCloskey was an inspector at the time and King's supervisor. King testified he replied to McCloskey that he had "never lied on the stand in 32 years" and he "wasn't about to start." During his own testimony the next day, McCloskey
said he'd never asked anybody to lie under oath. He alleged it was King
who lied because he was angry about being passed over for a promotion. McCloskey
said he entered Richard Oland's office twice the day after the homicide
— once to "observe the body" and then again out of "curiosity." He
admitted he went farther during his second trip into the crime scene,
with Const. Greg Oram, than the head of forensics allowed the first
time, and he wore no protective gear. McCloskey said
he noticed some small drops of blood on the floor and he might have
touched or even opened the back door, in the foyer outside the office,
which Oland's defence lawyers contend would have been the preferred exit
for the "killer or killers." The door was never tested for fingerprints or DNA evidence because it had been contaminated."
The entire story can be found at:
https://pressfrom.info/ca/news/canada/-107794-ex-deputy-police-chief-made-false-statements-at-oland-murder-trial-investigator-finds.html
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this
case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on
developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than
twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the
harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into
pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system.
The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related
to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith.
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination
process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html
Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of
interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;
