UPDATED at 5:00 p.m.
Heated exchange this afternoon at the Keith Hobbs extortion trial. Video statement of the interview between the OPP investigator and former Thunder Bay Police Service officer Hobbs was full of accusations about each of their policing styles with Hobbs accusing Detective Inspector Martin Graham of trying to railroad him on an extortion trial.
In the video statement to OPP, Hobbs tells Graham “This has destroyed my whole career. I did 34 years in policing and that’s all gone now.” He goes on to say “This has been a nightmare for us, we went over for a conversation with the alleged victim and we get caught up in all this crap.” Court also heard in the video statement from Hobbs that he has never extorted anyone. He also told police that when they went to the alleged victim’s house he was drunk and vile saying terrible crude things. The video statement also revealed a co-worker of the alleged victim forwarded an e-mail from the alleged victim to Keith Hobbs. In that e-mail, it read “the mayor is going to regret the day he was born.”
The exchange between Graham and Hobbs got very heated.
Hobbs: “I lead a criminal investigations branch, you honestly think I would be stupid enough to try and extort someone?”
Hobbs: “The alleged victim asked me to draft this agreement. It never was extortion. You can throw all the bullsh**t at me you want cause it’s not sticking, I would love this to go to court and I’ll stand up and tell the judge that this is horse sh*t.”
Hobbs: “I’ve lost every faith in the police. We have tried to help. And you want to come forward on this s**t, cause some a*****e who gets paid by the alleged victim says I’m extorting him. Why would I bring the agreement to police, why would I bring everyone to police?”
Graham: “I don’t find your statements about my police work offensive, I find it comical. You think I’m not prepared for this interview. I find it comical.”
Hobbs claimed in the video statement that Graham was a poor OPP officer and Graham fired back similar accusations to the former city police officer.
More video statements from the accused are expected to be heard in court in the coming days.
Earlier testimony this morning saw the house at the centre of the extortion trial be the focal point of testimony. The second witness of the morning was the owner of a home the accused were looking at purchasing. She was asked by the prosecution about who came to view her home and she said it was Marisa Hobbs and Mary Voss but it was understood that the house was for Voss. She said she heard that there was going to be a settlement coming Voss’ way and that’s how she would be paying for the house. Court heard the witness say that Marisa was looking out for her friend and that Mary was a good friend of Marisa’s. The homeowner went on to say she heard Marisa say Mary was getting out of a turbulent past and was trying to get the best out of a bad situation. That witness explained to the court that she also heard that before a bid could be made that the alleged victim would have to be sober before it could be brought to his attention. Hobbs’ defence team cross-examined the witness that the witness made assumptions about the settlement and couldn’t provide any specific details about it. Voss’ lawyer George Joseph’s questions revolved around the accused only showing an interest in the house and that no definite offers made.
A third witness on Wednesday was Shirley Davis who is a friend of Mary Voss. Davis told the court she spoke with Voss several times about Voss buying her Edward Street home. Court heard originally Davis put the house on the market for $260,000. She then offered it verbally to Voss for $260K and then finally $250K. Davis explained in her testimony that Voss told her she had been to the bank and that she couldn’t get a mortgage. Davis also told the court that the alleged victim toured the house and told her “that it was a really good deal Voss would be getting.” Other testimony from Davis included Mary telling her that the alleged victim was “pretty rough with her and wasn’t treated very well at times.”
Voss’ lawyer George Joseph cross-examined Davis and pulled from her that Mary told her that the alleged victim either convinced or pressured Voss into selling her Moodie Street home in the summer of 2016 and that she didn’t want to sell it.
A friend of the former girlfriend of the alleged victim also testified Wednesday morning. Elsie Hutsel came to pick up her friend at the alleged victim’s home so they could go to Lakehead University for a Coleman Hell concert. Hutsel met with the alleged victim the night of November 19th, 2016, a day after an agreement was signed involving the house. The alleged victim was arrested by police on November 20th. Hutsel told the court she had never met the alleged victim before that night and described his behaviour as overwhelmed, sad and in distress. She saw him sitting on the stairs in a robe, crying and appeared to not be wearing any pants. Hutsel testified her friend tried to help the alleged victim by getting him some water. Hutsel told court she heard the alleged victim say they are trying to take my money. According to Hutsel, the alleged victim went on to say it was Keith Hobbs, his wife and Mary Voss forcing him to buy a house for over $400,000 when he was originally going to buy a home in the $200,000 range. Hutsel told the court the alleged victim couldn’t stop crying and said he had been beaten up and showed the witness visible bruises on his abdomen and sides of his body. Hutsel said she tried to change the subject. Only Voss’ lawyer George Joseph cross-examined Hutsel.
The Crown has another possible two witnesses to call. The Hobbses and Mary Voss are accused of extorting a house out of the alleged victim.
