Lawyers urged to be prepared as Braun case moves toward trial date

PENTICTON – Be prepared, was the message to both Crown and defence counsel preparing the trial of Paul Braun in Penticton court today.

Judge Michelle Daneliuk urged defence counsel Paul Varga to have his applications ready in time for a second pre-trial conference scheduled for June 28.

She also asked Crown Prosecutor Troy DeSouza to pare down his witness list after receiving word the trial, originally scheduled for four days, had been reduced to three.

Braun faces eight counts of City of Penticton bylaw infractions for obstruction under the city’s good neighbour bylaw, in a case expected to go to trial in September.

Braun is well known in the city’s downtown core, often seen sitting at the entrance to the breezeway in Main Street’s 200 block.

Varga, who said an earlier request for full disclosure had been satisfied, indicated he would be filing an application contesting the charges on the basis his client had been targeted by the city’s bylaw enforcement staff. He said he would not be pursuing constitutional challenges in the case.

DeSouza said he planned to call 13 witnesses, including the city Chief Administrative Officer during the trial. He said his office had issued a final settlement offer to Braun.

Judge Daneliuk urged both counsel to hold “meaningful discussions” to see if the number of witnesses could be reduced. She also asked both parties to see if a resolution to the matter was possible, given a final settlement offer had been made.

The case is expected to return to court June 28.

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