Supreme Court Justice Russell Brown continues to insist he did nothing wrong prior to an alleged altercation in Arizona that triggered a complaint to the Canadian Judicial Council.
A lawyer for Brown says the justice has nothing to add after a police report alleged B次元官网网址渦nwanted touchingB次元官网网址� of a female guest during a Jan. 28 encounter at a Scottsdale resort lounge.
That report included the complainant, Jon Crump, accusing Brown of being intoxicated and B次元官网网址渉itting onB次元官网网址� his female companions before he punched the justice B次元官网网址渁 few timesB次元官网网址� in the face.
One of those companions told police Brown kissed her on the cheek B次元官网网址渙nce or twice,B次元官网网址� placed his hand on the small of her back and touched her on the leg.
The police report says she denied being touched in a B次元官网网址渟exual wayB次元官网网址� but answered B次元官网网址測esB次元官网网址� when the officer asked if BrownB次元官网网址檚 alleged behaviour constituted B次元官网网址渦nwanted touching.B次元官网网址�
In a statement Friday, Brown described CrumpB次元官网网址檚 version of events B次元官网网址渄emonstrably falseB次元官网网址� but did not specifically address the womanB次元官网网址檚 allegations.
B次元官网网址淛ustice Brown has nothing to add to his statement of March 10,B次元官网网址� Alexandra Heine, who is one of BrownB次元官网网址檚 lawyers, wrote in a statement Tuesday.
B次元官网网址淭he evidence provided to the Canadian Judicial Council confirms his account of the incident.B次元官网网址�
Brown, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2015 by then-prime minister Stephen Harper, has been on leave from the court since Feb. 1 pending the outcome of the councilB次元官网网址檚 ongoing investigation.
He was taking part in an awards ceremony and banquet at the resort ahead of the encounter, which occurred in the hotel lounge later that same night.
The police report said that at the invitation of one of the women, Brown joined their group and spent a portion of the evening with them. It was during that period the B次元官网网址渦nwanted touchingB次元官网网址� allegedly occurred.
Crump told the investigating officer that when the groupB次元官网网址檚 members later tried to return to their hotel rooms, Brown followed, despite CrumpB次元官网网址檚 efforts to tell him he was unwelcome and to stop following them.
B次元官网网址淥nce they got to their hotel room all the females walked inside, followed by Crump, then followed by (Brown),B次元官网网址� the officer wrote.
B次元官网网址淗owever, to protect the women and to prevent the drunk, creepy, unwanted male from entering the hotel room uninvited, Crump punched (Brown) a few times.B次元官网网址�
The police report said Crump was B次元官网网址渁rgumentative, hostile (and) antagonisticB次元官网网址� during his interview with the officer, who wrote he believed that he was B次元官网网址渦nder the influence of alcohol.B次元官网网址�
It also said the officer was unable to reach Brown to interview him, but he concluded CrumpB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渦se of force appeared reasonable and necessary, and no crime was determined.B次元官网网址� There were no arrests.
Neither Crump nor other members of the group identified in the media report immediately responded to requests for comment on Tuesday.
Details of the altercation have emerged as Parliament considers new legislation designed to change the process by which the council handles allegations against judges.
If passed, Bill C-9 would create a new process for reviewing allegations of misconduct that are not serious enough to warrant a judgeB次元官网网址檚 removal.
The bill, which is currently being considered by the Senate, would also clarify the circumstances under which a judge can be removed, and change the way the council reports its recommendations to the federal justice minister.
The Canadian Judicial Council has authority over federally appointed judges and it receives, reviews and deals with complaints. It works at armB次元官网网址檚 length from the executive and legislative branches of government.
