30 May In court today

Posted at 00:23h in That's life by

Sydney lawyer TJ McKeough will be in court Monday, pursuing a Charter challenge on behalf of one of the 27 men charged in last summer’s controversial prostitution sting.

I’ll be in court as well, hoping to live-tweet the hearing.

Last August and September, female police officers posing as sex workers lured the men, ranging in age from 26 to 81, into conversations that police allege warranted solicitation charges. McKeough argues the alleged crimes would not have occurred but for the actions of police.

Trials for the accused me became something of a moot point after CBRM Police Chief Peter McIsaac took it upon himself to release their names, and the Cape Breton Post published them. McIsaac underscored this act of public shaming for the men and their families with a series of comments about the evils of prostitution.

Lawyer McKeough will ask to have the charges against his client thrown out on grounds of abuse of process.

Many Sydney residents found the police behaviour repugnant, but entrapment is narrowly defined in Canada, so it should make for an interesting hearing.

Look for me on Twitter (@kempthead) around 9:30 am.