(Washington) The Quebecer accused of having mailed poison to President Donald Trump will now not be able to recover the approximately US $ 2,000 seized by the American authorities during her arrest.
Judge Dabney L. Friedrich, of the Federal Court in Washington, on Friday rejected a petition from Pascale Ferrier for the recovery of this sum seized during her arrest at the American border in September 2020.
“We are really here to give Mme Ferrier the ability to get all the shampoo she wants, get all the toiletries she wants, get all the underwear she wants, communicate with her family, which is more expensive, obviously, because they’re in Canada, ”said Eugene Ohm, a duty counsel in a virtual court appearance in Washington. He pointed out that most of the prisoners have access to money from their own bank accounts or from close family.
But the prosecution argued that the money was evidence that could be presented in court. “It is powerful evidence to be able to show the jury at trial what the accused had in her possession when she came,” prosecutor Michael Friedman told the court.
He also said that a sealed file regarding the actions Mr.me Ferrier allegedly posed after his arrest, which is still under investigation, suggests that handing over the money could pose a “serious danger to the community.”
The alleged actions referred to in the sealed file, as well as the disciplinary reports from two detention centers where Mr.me Ferrier has been detained, suggest the accused should undergo a hearing to see if she is fit to stand trial, said Me Friedman.
“If we do end up having a trial in this case here in Washington, there will come a time when we will have to determine whether this case can be tried or not,” he told the court.
Me Friedman also asked the court to order Mr.me Ferrier to undergo a 30-day psychiatric evaluation, a motion the defense objected to.
Judge Friedrich did not rule on the request on Friday, asking the prosecutor to provide more information on the duration of the assessment. She said a person accused in another case had been awaiting a similar assessment since September.
The defense argued that Mme Ferrier is fit to stand trial because she understands the nature and possible consequences of the proceedings.
“The government has presented no evidence that it does not understand the nature of these proceedings,” said David Bos, one of M’s lawyers.me Ferrier.
Pascale Ferrier, 53, from Longueuil, was arrested by US customs officials in September 2020 at the Peace Bridge border crossing, the bridge that connects Fort Erie, Ontario, and Buffalo, New York. US authorities say she had a loaded semi-automatic handgun and nearly 300 rounds in her vehicle at the time.
She is notably accused of threatening to kill or injure President Trump by sending the White House a letter containing ricin, according to US federal prosecutors.
This dispatch was written with financial assistance from the Facebook Stock Exchanges and The Canadian Press for News.