Randy Hillier Will Act As His Own Lawyer At His Upcoming Criminal Trial
Hillier has decided to self-represent after parting ways with his lawyer
Randy Hillier is flying solo.
During a court appearance Friday, the ultra-libertarian former Ontario PC MPP disclosed to an Ottawa judge that he had parted ways with his lawyer, David Anber, following a breakdown in the solicitor-client relationship.
Hillier says he will self-represent himself in his upcoming trial on criminal charges stemming from his role in the 2022 Freedom Convoy.
Speaking to livestreamers as he left court, Hillier confirmed he would be acting as his own lawyer in his criminal trial.
“I have now elected to represent myself in the court of law,” Hillier said.
Hillier added that he intends to subpoena journalists and politicians to testify at his trial about their complicity in anti-lockdown measures:
“When my trial goes forward, there will be members of the media called as witnesses in my defence. These measures have to be, what actually happened has to be underestood. And I will be calling senior members of the government, senior law enforcement officers, senior but retired members of the parliament to be here and to give testimony to why and how we allowed so much harm and injury to be done and how they sat back and allowed our shield of justice to be weaponized against us.”
Hillier declined a request for comment from ConvoyWatch.
Hillier, a former Ontario PC leadership candidate, was expelled from Doug Ford’s Ontario PC caucus in 2019 after insulting the parent of a child with autism.
During the pandemic, Hillier and his family created a group called “No More Lockdowns” to protest Covid-19 public health rules and later went on to become a key organizer of the Freedom Convoy.
Court Cat, an account that regularly monitors convoy court proceedings, was an observer at Hillier’s hearing Friday morning and provided ConvoyWatch with the following update:
“Hillier requested modifications to his bail conditions to facilitate his self-representation, as they currently restricted him from being in Ottawa without legal counsel. He also asked for the transfer of disclosure responsibilities from Mr. Anber to himself. The judge noted the removal of Mr. Anber as counsel of record, confirming Hillier’s self-representation status.”
In September, Hillier lost his bid to change the venue of his criminal trial from Ottawa to another city in Ontario after unsuccessfully arguing to a judge that he could not have a fair trial in Ottawa.
Hillier’s former lawyer had argued a change of venue was required because Hillier faced too much prejudice within the City of Ottawa, citing the fact that the hashtag “Arrest Randy Hillier” trended on Twitter.
The judge disagreed, ruling that “whatever prejudice was generated against Mr. Hillier could be overcome.”
In the September 25 ruling rejecting Hillier’s change of venue application, Justice Anne London-Weinstein noted it is a “well-established-principle that criminal trials should be held in the venue in which the alleged crime took place,” adding that “this principle serves both the interests of the community and those of the accused.”
Hillier is facing nine criminal charges, including assaulting a police officer, mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and resisting or obstructing a police officer.
[h/t Court Cat]
Update: This post has been updated to include comments Hillier made outside court that were included in a video released after publication.