Our client pleaded guilty to having possessed 3 images of child pornography. Defence Action Mr. Verdurmen carefully worked with our client exploring his background and counselling. At the sentencing hearing, he effectively emphasized the mitigating circumstances which included: his youth, lack of criminal record and openness to rehabilitative counselling. Mr. Verdurmen submitted that our client could serve a jail sentence …
Greatly Reduced Sentence Due To Indigenous Heritage
Our Client drove his vehicle through the front window of a 7-Eleven Retail Store in Salmon Arm, BC. He exited his vehicle inside the store, poured gas into the cab and, after making inquiries as to everyone being out of the store, threw a match into the vehicle. The fire spread quickly and destroyed the entire building. Some vehicles were …
Sexual Assault – Acquittal
Our client was alleged to have engaged in sexual activity without the consent of the complainant. The trial involved evidence of a friendship, which during the day and evening of drinking, resulted in sexual activity. The issues of consent, intoxication and the credibility or reliability of witnesses was squarely before the court. Defence Action Mr. Verdurmen worked hard analyzing the …
Manslaughter – Acquittal
Our client had been visiting his mother over a holiday weekend. The deceased had previously been in a relationship with the mother and over the course of the weekend, he had approached the trailer wherein our client, his mother, and others were socializing. The deceased tried to force his way in through the door and in doing so, engaged our …
Laptop Seizure – Acquittal – Illegal Search
Here our client was found near a firehall in the Sorrento area at night. Police had attended the firehall to check the truck to determine its registration that it was not stolen and to determine the sobriety of the driver. When the police approached the truck, the driver continued for 50 meters before they stopped. The police executed a high-risk …
Drug Seizure – Acquittal – Illegal Search
There is an Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench case where individuals in a Ford F150 vehicle from the Salmon Arm area were passing through Edmonton and were stopped by police and based on observations of the vehicle, its driver and two passengers, some drugs and money were seized. Defence Action Mr. Verdurmen argued was that the police did not have …
Manslaughter – Acquittal
Our client was charged with the manslaughter of the deceased as well as the theft of her cell phone and laptop computer. Only the manslaughter charge was in dispute. Our client was at the deceased’s house on the night she died and they had engaged in mutual sexual behaviour at the time. Our client told the police during a series …
Dangerous Driving Causing Death – Acquittal
Our client was driving five friends back to a bush party in a 4 wheel drive truck. He was driving along on a two-way rural paved road which was flat and there were six occupants of the vehicle. The driver was said to have been driving fast and the vehicle started to lose control while they were approaching a bridge …
Drug Seizure – Acquittal – Illegal Search
The RCMP stopped our client near Salmon Arm, British Columbia for speeding. The officer testified that he noticed a strong odor of perfume coming from the inside the vehicle. He made observations that our client appeared to be a bit nervous, and suspected that contraband could be involved. There was luggage in the back seat which did not belong our …
DUI – Acquittal – Blood Sample Inadmissable
Our client was involved in a motor vehicle accident where his vehicle had run into a building. Our client was hospitalized and an officer made a demand for blood samples soon as practical. This resulted in the analysis of the blood that showed no alcohol present. Ultimately the samples were resubmitted for analysis for drugs and the result was positive. …