Tag Archives: trial

Trial of four Mi’kmaw fishermen accused of illegal fishing begins next month in Nova Scotia

The trial of four Mi’kmaw fishermen accused of illegal fishing in September 2019 will begin next month in Nova Scotia provincial court. Ashton Joseph Bernard, 31, Arden Joseph Bernard, 22, Rayen Gage Frances, 22, and Zachery Cuevas Nicholas, 34, don’t dispute they were fishing in the lucrative Lobster Fishing Area 34 off southwestern Nova Scotia when the commercial season was closed. But the four men argue they had a treaty right to fish there during that time. The case involving the four fishermen also involves a fifth man, Michael Surette. Surette is not Indigenous so his case has been severed from the others. >click to read< 12:53

Nathan Carman trial: Lobsterman who was fishing in Block Canyon expected to testify Friday

The first three days of Nathan Carman’s federal civil trial have focused on changes he made to his boat, but starting today lawyers for his insurance company hope to call witnesses who will challenge Carman’s version of how the Chicken Pox actually sank with his mother on board. Among the witnesses slated to testify Friday is lobsterman Alex Aucoin, captain of the 82-foot Prudence, who is expected to say that he and his crew were fishing in the Block Canyon area off Long Island on the same day and within a few miles of where Carman reported going down. >click to read< 10:20

Are the Feds gonna let Carlos cop a plea? Trial pushed back again!

Indicted New Bedford scallops magnate Carlos “Codfather” Rafael has asked the court to postpone his upcoming trial in part to pursue talks with prosecutors about “resolving” the matter, court documents show. One of Rafael’s attorneys, William Kettlewell, asked the Massachusetts federal court of judge William G. Young to postpone Rafael’s Feb. 13 trial to at least March 20. Young granted the order. The delay, the second in recent months, is required as Kettlewell is expected to represent a different client in a two-week trial beginning on Jan. 30, the lawyer wrote. But, that time can also be used for negotiations with prosecutors about a possible settlement. Read the story here – The federal trial of New Bedford fishing kingpin Carlos Rafael has been pushed back more than a month to March amid indications that Rafael is looking for a deal from federal prosecutors. Read the story here 15:49

Thirteen Breton fishermen stand trial for smuggling illegal migrants to British beaches

Thirteen Breton fishermen stood trial on Monday on charges of ferrying illegal migrants from the coast of Brittany to British shores for thousands of pounds per crossing. The fishermen are accused of transporting a total of 200 migrants via a gang of Albanian people smugglers who paid them €1000 (£720) per passenger and pocketed up to ten times that amount for every illegal passenger. Families were charged a group fee of €15,000. Read the article here 16:25