Too bad Garth wouldn't take the opportunity to enlighten the court as to the innocence of his actions at Livent but maybe, just maybe, that would've been like putting lipstick on a pig.
jwm
Livent trial closes, no testimony from Drabinsky TheStar.com - GTA - Livent trial closes, no testimony from Drabinsky
November 03, 2008
Peter Small
Courts Bureau
After six months, the Crown has closed its case in the fraud trail of Livent co-founders Garth Drabinsky and Myron Gottlieb.
Lead prosecutor Robert Hubbard announced today that his team will call no further evidence.
Immediately following, Edward Greenspan, lawyer for Drabinsky, stood up and ended months of speculation about whether his client, a legendary figure on the Canadian entertainment scene, would take the stand, by informing Justice Mary Lou Benotto that the defence would call no evidence.
Brian Greenspan, lawyer for Gottlieb, followed suit.
Gottlieb and Drabinsky have pleaded not guilty to fraud and forgery at the once-dominant live theatre production company. They are charged in relation to the mis-stating of quarterly financial results between 1993 and 1998.
Toronto-based Livent was a world leader in the production of live musicals, with such hits as Showboat, Phantom of the Opera and Ragtime before succumbing to its accounting scandal in the late 1990s.
The Crown has until Nov. 24 to file written final arguments to Ontario Superior Court Justice Mary Lou Benotto in the trial without a jury.
The defence has until Dec. 8 to file its written reply.
These will be followed by oral arguments by both sides in the week of Dec. 15.
Neither defence lawyer would comment after court was finished today.
"It is clear that we are relying on the evidence that we heard and the cross-examinations that have taken place," Brian Greenspan said.
The trial, which started on May 5, has had 14 witnesses, 237 exhibits, thousands of pages of documents and up to 7,000 pages of transcripts.
It saw seven former Livent staff testify that they either cooked the books or knew about a fraud taking place without immediately reporting it. Several testified that they saw either Drabinsky or Gottlieb directing the mis-stating of financial results, while others said they took orders from an executive, Gordon Eckstein, who reported directly to these bosses.
The accused men's lawyers have suggested that the fraud, if there was one, was directed by Eckstein without their knowledge and that, when discovered, employees conspired to pin the blame on them.
jwm
Livent trial closes, no testimony from Drabinsky TheStar.com - GTA - Livent trial closes, no testimony from Drabinsky
November 03, 2008
Peter Small
Courts Bureau
After six months, the Crown has closed its case in the fraud trail of Livent co-founders Garth Drabinsky and Myron Gottlieb.
Lead prosecutor Robert Hubbard announced today that his team will call no further evidence.
Immediately following, Edward Greenspan, lawyer for Drabinsky, stood up and ended months of speculation about whether his client, a legendary figure on the Canadian entertainment scene, would take the stand, by informing Justice Mary Lou Benotto that the defence would call no evidence.
Brian Greenspan, lawyer for Gottlieb, followed suit.
Gottlieb and Drabinsky have pleaded not guilty to fraud and forgery at the once-dominant live theatre production company. They are charged in relation to the mis-stating of quarterly financial results between 1993 and 1998.
Toronto-based Livent was a world leader in the production of live musicals, with such hits as Showboat, Phantom of the Opera and Ragtime before succumbing to its accounting scandal in the late 1990s.
The Crown has until Nov. 24 to file written final arguments to Ontario Superior Court Justice Mary Lou Benotto in the trial without a jury.
The defence has until Dec. 8 to file its written reply.
These will be followed by oral arguments by both sides in the week of Dec. 15.
Neither defence lawyer would comment after court was finished today.
"It is clear that we are relying on the evidence that we heard and the cross-examinations that have taken place," Brian Greenspan said.
The trial, which started on May 5, has had 14 witnesses, 237 exhibits, thousands of pages of documents and up to 7,000 pages of transcripts.
It saw seven former Livent staff testify that they either cooked the books or knew about a fraud taking place without immediately reporting it. Several testified that they saw either Drabinsky or Gottlieb directing the mis-stating of financial results, while others said they took orders from an executive, Gordon Eckstein, who reported directly to these bosses.
The accused men's lawyers have suggested that the fraud, if there was one, was directed by Eckstein without their knowledge and that, when discovered, employees conspired to pin the blame on them.
