[kaboi]

It is on the public record that the media have been granted access to certain exhibits from the prelim. So there's that.

True, and I must say the wait is killing me.

It is baffling that Lisi continues to protect Ford. He should know by now that every single person who has gotten in the way of Ford Co. has been thrown under the bus (camper van?). You can't buy loyalty, but you can certainly cash it in when it's no longer needed. We all know this will happen to Lisi eventually, and if he stays quiet he'll likely have lots of extra time in jail to mull it over.

I've often wondered about this. Lisi already has a reputation as a rat, and the ITO pretty much confirmed it by detailing his spectacular avoidance of jail. But if he did roll on Ford, it seems likely that he would never sell drugs again, at least not in this town. Who would buy from him? And who would be stupid enough to supply him?? It's one thing to agree to quietly become an informant, quite another to publicly testify in a high profile case. Is it possible that Lisi cares more about his future job prospects than he does about avoiding jail?

 

[kaboi]

I'm not sure how it works, but apparently TPS pushed repeatedly for charges against Ford but it was the Crown that was reluctant to move forward.

Wow, that's news...and very different than the TPS statement at the time (which I remember because Pugash was so unusually candid):

Toronto Police Service spokesman Mark Pugash reported that the Brazen 2 investigation is ongoing. While saying he could not discuss details of the case, he noted that the course of investigation the Toronto detectives took has been validated by Crown attorneys and judges.

“The TPS investigation started more than a year ago, with a group of the most experienced and diligent investigators in Canada. They work very closely with an equally skilled team of Crown prosecutors. The case has been vetted by two judges. Its comprehensiveness is reinforced every time the courts release documents from the (search warrant documents),” Pugash told Torstar News Service.

http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/99...azen-2-after-dispute-over-rob-ford-as-victim/

 

[Roy's Square]

Those UTers who attended some of Lisi's preliminary hearing must have gotten a feel for how costly his lawyer must be. I think speculating about the cost of a lawyer could be outside the publication bans' reach. How bout it guys, did Lisi's lawyer seem like someone Lisi could afford without fordian assistance?

Lisi doesn't just have *A* lawyer, he has a table full of them.

From Goldsbie's last NOW piece: "That's Sandro Lisi in the striped blue tie, flanked by lawyers Courtney Keystone, Seth Weinstein and Domenic Basile. Student-at-law Ian Kasper is in the back." Basile seems to be the lead with Weinstein a close second, and both are thoroughly competent (as is the Crown). Keystone didn't speak at all when I was there, in fact I thought she might be a clerk. And Kasper I barely noticed until after seeing this photo.

As for how Lisi is able to afford this happy crew, who can say? But if it's the Ford's, then maybe they should consider spending more on their own legal representation, because Denis Morris—the Greatest Criminal Lawyer in Canada—is far less impressive than these guys.

 

[pattycakes]

Lisi doesn't just have *A* lawyer, he has a table full of them.

View attachment 45066

From Goldsbie's last NOW piece: "That's Sandro Lisi in the striped blue tie, flanked by lawyers Courtney Keystone, Seth Weinstein and Domenic Basile. Student-at-law Ian Kasper is in the back." Basile seems to be the lead with Weinstein a close second, and both are thoroughly competent (as is the Crown). Keystone didn't speak at all when I was there, in fact I thought she might be a clerk. And Kasper I barely noticed until after seeing this photo.

As for how Lisi is able to afford this happy crew, who can say? But if it's the Ford's, then maybe they should consider spending more on their own legal representation, because Denis Morris—the Greatest Criminal Lawyer in Canada—is far less impressive than these guys.

He must be doing something right, he's managed to keep Rob and family out of jail for the last 30 years.

 

[the lemur]

Lisi's parents had a house of theirs on the market a couple of years ago (the house was mentioned in the ITO). Not sure if it was sold but if it was I'm wondering if the money was used to pay for Lisi's lawyers, one of whom is Seth Weinstein, a high profile lawyer and one that, I would imagine, comes with a high price tag.

Lisi's parents' house is definitely still owned by the parents, as is the house listed in the ITO as Lisi's own address.

 

[nohostages]

First thanks Lemur for the ten ways to drive high video. Personal fave was the ecstasy. Ahh good times. As for all of us stating "the TPS did this or the TPS said that" We should be mindful that the TPS can have warring factions with differing opinions within the organization. Also how are we so sure Lisi has not already rolled over and the trial is all part of his witness protection ruse?

 

[nohostages]

To add:Seems the Fords know value of a legal rep varies. The lawyer who did Rofos defamation case re: Boardwalk Restaurant also did the motions to suppress at Jude's COI Case is in a different league from Morris.

 

[hper]

Sorry, tech difficulties (sticky keys and arthritis). I meant to go on and propose this was not an "investigation" of RoFo, but TPS decided or were directed to PROTECT the Mayor from his OCD tendencies. Remember the Fords have their own tentacles, all the way up thru the fed & provincial Conservative party, and that's a lot of tentacles that would be singed if the Mayor flamed out.

There was that semi-candid soundbite Rob offered about (something like) 'a whole lot of people bigger than me'. He was likely not referring to relative tonnage.

 

[nohostages]

Entremanurial L.D.?
Typo or tipico

ETA. I dont even know how to fix this.

 

[John_Dee]

This is why, like, some people seem to think the police (possibly up to and including Blair) never really wanted to nail him for anything and are perfectly happy that his mayoral loss and the cancer have given them the cover to back out quietly. I don't buy it. This was all too public and there is too much documented crime for them to be anything less than embarrassed by all the time (and, yes, money) they spent investigating it without so much as a DUI to show for it. Maybe they still think they can get Lisi to roll or they're saving a nice present for when Rob is fully-recovered from surgery but I find it hard to believe that (aside from the dirty people protecting the Fords) anyone at TPS, including the retiring chief, is happy the big fish got away.

Agreed. Generally speaking, cops do not like appearing like they're incompetent (especially when they are! ), and I'm not sure I can picture Blair willingly throwing himself on his sword for the likes of the Fords. Especially given their very public belligerence towards Blair during this entire, sordid series of adventures. It's no small thing when an active Mayor publicly proclaims that his Chief of Police is a c*cksucker, for Chrissakes.

The Fords are about as shallow as a puddle; I truly believe that what we see with them is what we get, and I think the anger we repeatedly observed from them directed towards Blair was genuine and totally unfeigned. Granted, it's conceivable Blair was acting in their interests even if they were too stupid to understand that...but in the end, they're just a clan of small-time, nouveau riche bullshit artists. The conspiracy theories surrounding them are fun to speculate on, but I can't really see anyone truly powerful straining themselves to protect these cretins. They're just too small time.

 

[Jimmi T]

Wow, that's news...and very different than the TPS statement at the time (which I remember because Pugash was so unusually candid):

Toronto Police Service spokesman Mark Pugash reported that the Brazen 2 investigation is ongoing. While saying he could not discuss details of the case, he noted that the course of investigation the Toronto detectives took has been validated by Crown attorneys and judges.

“The TPS investigation started more than a year ago, with a group of the most experienced and diligent investigators in Canada. They work very closely with an equally skilled team of Crown prosecutors. The case has been vetted by two judges. Its comprehensiveness is reinforced every time the courts release documents from the (search warrant documents),” Pugash told Torstar News Service.

http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/99...azen-2-after-dispute-over-rob-ford-as-victim/

It's a touchy subject for cops from what I hear. They were getting really frustrated.

 

[Jimmi T]

The simplest explanation I've heard for why cops spent so much time going after Ford: they were embarrassed and appalled that someone in his position who has influence over their budget etc would be involved with this stuff. There's no bigger purpose that we're unaware of.

 

[Jimmi T]

The simplest explanation I've heard for why cops spent so much time going after Ford: they were embarrassed and appalled that someone in his position who has influence over their budget etc would be involved with this stuff. There's no bigger purpose that we're unaware of.

Even if this is the case, you've got to wonder what other crazy stuff Ford got up to during his time at city hall even before the crack video scandal. There are no doubt tons of stories!

 

[Lamport Davenport]

Entremanurial L.D.?
Typo or tipico

ETA. I dont even know how to fix this.

Its a rip from Kath & Kim:

"I'm not letting him invest one bloody cent of my money!"

"Why not? Making money is what he does. He's an entremanure."

"Well you got the manure part right."

 

[JGHali]

Props on the Kath & Kim reference!