Conspirator Pierre Dion, accused of death threats, “knew very well” what he was doing by targeting Prime Minister Legault in a video published in the fall of 2020, the Crown argued today.
“In the video, he says, ‘I don’t make threats. I am not going to kill anyone.” When Mr. Dion says that, it is because he has in mind the significance that can be associated with his words,” insisted today Ms.and Julien Gaudet-Lachapelle, of the Crown, at the Saint-Jérôme courthouse.
The 52-year-old man is accused of uttering threats to cause death or injury to François Legault and other members of Parliament during the second wave of the pandemic.
In October 2020, the troll posted a video on YouTube in which he painted François Legault as a traitor to Quebec.
“You know you’re screwed. Worse you know that you will pay one day. And I’m going to be the first to be seated in front to say “yeaaah””, plague Dion in an excerpt.
“If we have to hang him, we will hang him, do you understand? he continues. I don’t make threats. I will never kill anyone in my life. Never. But if there is one who has to die because he was a traitor to his country, I will be there, and I will applaud. »
His lawyer, Stéphan Beaudin, pleaded that his remarks only fell under his “freedom of expression”.
““ON” excludes the person speaking. We learn that in 3and primary year,” he said.
The following month, Dion did it again by asking his Facebook followers: “Yé ou, notre Denis Lortie from the 2020s? »
He was referring to the man who burst into the Parliament Building to kill René Lévesque and his deputies in 1984.
Mand Beaudin claimed that Dion – and himself – were unaware that Lortie’s attack caused three deaths.
“There are several elements which are constructions that he comes to establish a posteriori to explain his gesture”, retorted the prosecution, considering that the testimony of the accused was not credible.
Unpleasant in the room
In the midst of the proceedings, Dion could not help but put on a show in the courtroom, forcing the judge to call him to order.
He grumbled and played with his mask pretending to have difficulty breathing. He also insulted and looked down on the representative of the Newspaper many times.
“Mr. Dion, since a while ago, you talk to one, you talk to another, you distract me. I’m going to ask you to let the show take place in the courtroom,” scolded Judge Sylvain Lépine.
Furthermore, M.and Beaudin threatened to surrender his bar membership card, should his client be found guilty.
Dion has already been convicted of incitement to hatred, after he made odious remarks towards Muslims on YouTube, after the massacre at the Grand Mosque of Quebec.
– With Christian Plouffe
♦ The court is expected to deliver its verdict in June.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com