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[Music]
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several sexual assault charges against a
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man in North Bay have now been dropped
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because of delays in bringing the case
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to trial a man was charged in October of
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2020 during the covid-19 pandemic but
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the judge dismissed the charges last
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month ruling that they took too long to
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come to trial some lawyers say Ontario
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courts are now no longer accepting the
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covid-19 pandemic as a blanket excuse
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for delays Crown Attorneys will have to
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offer more
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details so the crown just basically said
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any delay above the ceiling is
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attributed to co the covid-19 backlog it
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was a really um like kind of a bald
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vague statement and no particulars were
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provided as to
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what backlog was caused as a result of
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covid-19 or the efforts to mitigate so
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even if there was a backlog what did the
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crown do on its own own accord to push
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this matter forward in Canada right now
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cases must come to trial within 30
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months unless the defense causes a delay
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or unless there are exceptional
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circumstances such as the covid-19
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pandemic