Judge warns of potential 'short circuit' in proceedings
Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (May 30/01) - A German police officer may have taken an active role in a search of Lothar Ebke's home, a hearing into a request to extradite the alleged former terrorist heard Tuesday.
 Lothar Ebke |
Wes Wilson, Ebke's lawyer, and Adrain Wright, a lawyer for Regina Pfeifer, focused on the presence of Ralf Trada, a German police officer.
Pfeifer is requesting the return of personal items seized during a raid on Ebke's home.
Trada was supposed to act as an observer during the search, but under cross-examination, two officers indicated that Trada may have taken a more active role in the search.
All of the officers who testified Tuesday said they believed Trada was present only as an observer.
Cpl. Mike Brandford, who identified all evidence seized during the search, was asked to explain an entry in his notebook about a piece of paper found at the scene.
Brandford's notes on the evidence read that a "piece of paper, with writing on same," was found by (Const.) Ken Taeger and another individual whose name was not legible.
Brandford agreed with Wilson that the name had letters in it that were similar to Trada's.
Another officer's notes showed that Trada "identifies (a) book on bookshelf." The book was held as evidence.
Midway through the morning hearing, Vertes said that the, "process could be short-circuited very quickly," if both sides weren't extremely careful.
The hearing is expected to wrap up this week. Vertes will probably rule on a motion by Wilson to stay extradition proceedings against Ebke.
If Vertes dismisses the motion, he has said he will rule on the extradition application in late July.
