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Lawyer for accused murderer gets dressed down in Guelph court

Judge says lawyer for man accused of killing Chris Schweitzer last summer is being "rude" and "arrogant"
20160606 SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE ts

The lawyer for a Guelph man accused of first-degree murder got a dressing down in a Guelph courtroom Monday.

But he wasn't there to witness it.

The accused, Sean Wade Haverty, 49, made an appearance in Guelph Superior Court to set a date for a pre-trial hearing.

Haverty is accused of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Chris Schweitzer, 38, on June 18, 2015, on Tiffany Street just north of downtown Guelph.

Haverty's Toronto-based lawyer, Ari Goldkind, has apparently ruffled the feathers of Superior Court Justice Cas Herold.

"Apparently Mr. Goldkind has been so rude, arrogant and impossible to deal with," Herold said, referring to Goldkind's dealings with the court's trial coordinator.

Herold said Goldkind was supposed to be in court Monday to set a date for the pre-trial but has "refused to cooperate."

The judge said Goldkind, who ran for Mayor of Toronto in the last municipal election, had been told to be in court Monday.

Herold asked Haverty, somewhat rhetorically, "he's from the big city isn't he?" and later said Goldkind should have sent an agent to act on his behalf, which is the "usual courtesy."

Herold said this was Goldkind's first time defending a client in Guelph and "it might be his last."

The Crown's office and Goldkind have been having trouble finding a date for the next court appearance.

Crown attorney Judith MacDonald said there was an e-mail from Goldkind saying he might not be able to appear in Guelph Monday, but Herold said he should have been there.

"He has a lack of familiarity with procedures outside Toronto," Herold said, before issuing an order for Goldkind to attend the next court hearing on July 28 for pre-trial.

Haverty has been in custody since the incident.


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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