19. Regina v. R.D. [Provincial Court of Alberta, Calgary – August 2011]

Client was operating a motor vehicle which was stopped by the police and searched. The police located 17 separate packages of cocaine under the driver’s floor mat, 16 individual bundles of cash and a so-called “score sheet”. Police also seized a cellular phone from our client and answered several incoming calls from persons looking to “buy”. As a consequence of the seizures aforesaid our client was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and proceeds of crime. When client first entered our office he inquired as to whether he should accept an offer put forth by the Crown for an actual period of imprisonment of 2 years – we said . . . “NO”. The proceedings dragged on for over three years but at the end of the day the learned trial judge dismissed all charges against our client as a consequence of the Crown’s inability to rely upon the critical certificates of analysis.