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Coutts murder-conspiracy trial to resume with jury after legal arguments create delay

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — A jury is set to return Tuesday to hear evidence in the trial of two men charged with conspiracy to commit murder at the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta.
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A jury is set to return Tuesday to hear evidence in the trial of two men charged with conspiracy to commit murder at the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta. A man takes a smoke break outside the courthouse as the trial for two men charged with conspiracy to commit murder during the border protest at Coutts, Alta., gets underway in Lethbridge, Alta., Thursday, June 6, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — A jury is set to return Tuesday to hear evidence in the trial of two men charged with conspiracy to commit murder at the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta.

Anthony Olienick and Chris Carbert were arrested after RCMP found a cache of guns, body armour and ammunition in trailers.

The blockade paralyzed traffic at the busy Canada-United States border crossing for two weeks.

It was among several protests across the country over what some perceived as unfair and unnecessary government restrictions and vaccine mandates in the fight against COVID-19.

Jurors heard evidence on the first day of the trial last week but have been absent since then, as lawyers wrangled over an issue that is under a publication ban.

The trial is expected to go until mid-July.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2024.

The Canadian Press

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