The defence is now centre stage at the Keith Hobbs extortion trial. The first witness called for the defence is, not surprisingly, 67-year-old former Mayor Keith Hobbs. Hobbs took the stand and explained his side of the story. Much of his testimony detailed his first meeting with the alleged victim. Hobbs told the court he met with the alleged victim to discuss a potential business deal and at no time did that person tell him they couldn’t work together.
Court heard the interactions with the alleged victim were bizarre and made the Hobbses uncomfortable. Keith Hobbs told the court he was worried the alleged victim was abusive towards Mary Voss and that is why he continued to meet with him.
Lawyer Brian Greenspan: “Why did you keep in contact with the alleged victim?”
Keith Hobbs: “I was concerned about Mary Voss and the alleged victim told me I could get $2 million from our business deal and who couldn’t use $2 million.”
Keith Hobbs told the court he was frustrated when he tried to discuss business with the alleged victim, and each time he attempted to, he couldn’t because the individual was either drunk or had invited strangers to their meetings.
Questioning from Greenspan to Hobbs revolved around whether or not the Hobbses had any financial reasons for wanting Mary Voss to get a house from the alleged victim. Hobbs stressed their only concern was to get Voss away from the alleged victim to ensure she would be safe. He went on to say that he and his wife are not extortionists and that they didn’t want money from the alleged victim or Voss. Hobbs told the court that they looked after their own finances and paid off their debt and loans.
Other highlights from his testimony included the fact that drafting the house agreement fell to Keith Hobbs and that the alleged victim advised Hobbs on how to create it, suggesting he Google an agreement template. Hobbs told the court he asked the alleged victim what he wanted in the agreement and the alleged victim suggested making him “save harmless.” Hobbs later discovered that “save harmless” was a way for the alleged victim to ensure nothing could come back on him. While on the stand, Hobbs told his lawyer the alleged victim said he knew what was in the agreement and at no time was a threat made to ensure he signed.
Cross-examination of Hobbs focused on an e-mail Hobbs wrote to the then-Crown Attorney Dan Mitchell. Hobbs told the court that once he realized the OPP would soon be laying an extortion charge against him, he became frustrated and didn’t know who to turn to. Hobbs also admitted he wrote to Mitchell, not only because he was a friend, but also because of his position as the Crown.
Prosecutor Peter Keen questioned Hobbs about his past experience as a police officer and as the Mayor of Thunder Bay. He suggested Hobbs had to understand difficult legal documents in both of those positions. He also suggested to Hobbs that the lengthy e-mail he sent to Mitchell was well thought out. Keen also asked Hobbs about the statement he created for OPP Detective Inspector Martin Graham. Throughout his questioning, Keen asked Hobbs if these documents were written carefully and accurately. Hobbs explained that they created this statement for Graham because he wanted to “clear this up.” Keen asked Hobbs about whether or not he was telling the truth in the OPP statement, to which Hobbs replied, “to the best of my recollection.”
Keen questioned Hobbs as to why he would continue to speak with the alleged victim following a bizarre first meeting where the alleged victim was drunk and yelling obscenities. Hobbs explained to Keen that he thought it was one of those “rare times [the alleged victim] was intoxicated and that’s why we went back for other business meetings.” Keen pondered why Hobbs went back if he thought the alleged victim was abusive. Hobbs explained that he “didn’t know him from a hole in the ground,” so he had no way of formulating what the alleged victim’s consistent behaviour was.
An incident involving a taxi fare not being paid and the alleged victim being sent to the hospital drunk afterward resulted in Keith Hobbs picking him up from the hospital and paying his taxi fare the next day. Keen asked why he would do that for the alleged victim and Hobbs responded it was “to curry favour and get [the alleged victim] to continue working on their business deal.”
The accused Mary Voss, Keith Hobbs and Marisa Hobbs are accused of extorting an over $400,000 house from the alleged victim.
