Since he began collaborating with the police and his former lawyers broke up with him, Frédérick Silva has contacted nearly 200 lawyers for representation during his ongoing proceedings, but they have all refused.
Posted at 12:07 p.m.
That’s what the former organized crime hitman told Superior Court Judge Marc David, who is waiting for Silva to find a lawyer before handing down his final sentence.
“I cannot adjourn the sentence indefinitely. There will have to be a deadline at some point,” Judge David said Friday morning at the Montreal courthouse.
Silva, 42, is already sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years for the murders of three men in the fall of 2018, and for an attempted murder of the late mafia clan leader Salvatore Scoppa at Winter 2017.
He was also convicted of the second-degree murder of a patron of a downtown Montreal bar in May 2017, but the sentence was postponed.
Meanwhile, at the end of June, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) made an announcement that had the effect of a bombshell in criminal circles and police: Silva had begun to collaborate with them.
Following the announcement of this collaboration, Silva’s lawyers, Ms.e Daniele Roy and M.e Lida Sara Nouraie, announced to Judge David that they were withdrawing from the cause.
But Frédéric Silva needs a lawyer for the rest of things. Indeed, if the judgment was rendered for the murder of the client of a downtown bar and the life sentence is automatic, it remains to establish the length of the period of ineligibility for parole.
At the time Silva lost his lawyers, a motion for disclosure of evidence was active and the reopening of a motion for abuse of process was still possible.
Simultaneously, Silva also initiated proceedings with the Court of Appeal in relation to the verdicts rendered against him for his three assassinations committed in 2018 and the attempted murder of Scoppa.
Even Ontario lawyers
With pedagogy, judge David, explained to Silva the ins and outs of the recent stages and those to come.
Although the former hitman replied that he understood the situation well, he explained that he needed a lawyer.
” It’s difficult for me. Faced with this situation, I have no choice but to go to court to get out of this impasse,” said Frédérick Silva.
“You have the right to be represented by a lawyer. I don’t see how you could represent yourself optimally, particularly before the Court of Appeal, ”reacted Judge David.
Frédérick Silva even contacted the Law Society to obtain the names of Ontario lawyers. Names were proposed to him, but the solicited lawyers all refused.
“The number of people you have approached… Your approaches are difficult. You encounter pitfalls, the exercise is tedious and not easy, I understand, ”added Judge David.
Silva also consulted legal aid; he is eligible, but cannot be represented by one of the latter’s lawyers.
Although Judge David described Silva’s tenure as “significant and far-reaching”, the magistrate and Mr.e Antoine Piché, of the prosecution, toyed with the idea that Silva’s files would be split and that two lawyers could come to his aid; one who would take care of finishing his last murder case in Superior Court and another who would represent him on appeal.
Judge David even asked Mr.e Piché if he could help Silva find a lawyer. “For the moment, I have no miracle solution,” replied the prosecutor, who also showed himself to be a teacher towards the accused.
“I understood everything you told me and I will continue my research,” Silva concluded, addressing Judge David.
Since he began to collaborate with the police, Frédérick Silva has been at the heart of an important investigation by the SPVM and the SQ which could help to elucidate several assassinations and other conspiracies committed and fomented within organized crime in Montreal in recent years. years.
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.