blueta2
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This pc of trash only got 14 yrs in jail? What the.........???
My God, he raped her while she was in the hosp dying of cancer. Then she dies?!
Que. man guilty of sexually assaulting daughter
Canadian Press
SHERBROOKE, Que. -- A 51-year-old man was convicted by a jury Sunday of sexually assaulting his daughter over a 17-year period.
Renald Cote stood quietly as the jury foreperson read the verdict, which came after seven days of deliberation and a high-profile, sexually explicit, six-week trial.
Cote was accused of incest and sexual assault against Isabelle Cote during her childhood and while she was in hospital fighting ovarian cancer.
She died in July of heat stroke at the age of 22.
Cote faced 14 charges as a result of the allegations involving Isabelle, as well as three others stemming from complaints from two other women. He was convicted of 14 of the 17 charges.
Cote's sons, Serge, 24, and Donald, 27, have been charged separately with sex-related crimes against their sister.
Isabelle Cote made three sworn video and audio tape statements to police and in court between June 2001 and March 2002.
She told of being tied down and raped in a garage by her father and two brothers in 1989 while her uncle filmed the assault. Cote and his sons have denied the rape ever took place.
The jury acquitted Cote of charges related to this alleged event plus one charge of sexual assault against her and one charge relating to the other teens.
She also said her father raped and molested her as she underwent cancer treatments that left her weak and in a wheelchair. Witnesses testified they saw Cote in the hospital kiss his daughter passionately, fondle her breasts and place his fingers inside her shorts.
Johanne Royer-Cote, who testified in support of her husband, said she never thought he would be convicted and told him and their two sons to have courage.
"I'm going to continue to encourage them that the truth will come out,'' she told reporters.
The convictions came a couple of days after Quebec Superior Court Justice Paul Marcel Bellavance reversed his original instructions to the jury by allowing them more leeway with which to convict the accused.
Crown prosecutor Helene Fabi successfully argued on Friday that the time factor should not be considered an obstacle for the jury, in particular in cases involving crimes of a sexual nature and testimony involving memories of things that happened years ago.
Cote will return to court Feb. 5 for the start of sentencing proceedings. Several of the convictions carry maximum sentences of 14 years in prison.
Defence lawyer Pierre Gagnon said he would file an appeal.
In his closing arguments, Gagnon said the jury should carefully review Isabelle Cote's statements before making up their minds.
Gagnon said that when looked at separately her accusations were plausible but didn't add up when compared.
Gagnon also criticized police for their handling of the investigation, saying it was unprofessional.
On Wednesday, Fabi said her two main witnesses, Donald Cote and Serge Cote, are credible even if they weren't always clear about specific dates and times.
Fabi also said contradictions in Isabelle Cote's taped testimony can be attributed to the memory of a young woman trying to recall painful details from her early childhood.
Cote's case has attracted intense media and public attention since the trial began in late fall.
Midway through the trial, a teenaged boy jumped from his front-row seat and went into the prisoner's box and grabbed Renald Cote's shirt moments after the jurors left the courtroom.
As he was handcuffed, the 16-year-old shouted: "Death to all rapists'' and "Goddamn piece of human garbage!''
On the day of Gagnon's closing arguments, the accused's sister volunteered to stay out of the courtroom after jurors complained about her behaviour.
The jurors handed Bellavance a note saying Rejeanne Cote's stares indicated a "flippant attitude'' and that her "mocking smiles'' made them feel uncomfortable.
Testifying in his own defence, Cote told jurors his daughter lied to police when she implicated him in the alleged sexual assaults against her.
However, he said he believed Isabelle told the truth when she said her two brothers raped her.
He admitted he kissed his daughter in the hospital, but said the kisses lasted no longer than two seconds.
Royer-Cote, denied that friends had informed her of the alleged abuse of her daughter by her husband.
The mother said the first time she heard of Isabelle being sexually abused was when the girl told her about it at age 14.
Royer-Cote, who said she herself was a victim of sexual abuse as a child, said Isabelle told her she had been raped by her brother, Donald.
Both Cote brothers testified against their father. They said they were initiated by him into a world of incest against Isabelle when she was four years old. They said their father instructed them on how to have sexual intercourse, adding their father would rape Isabelle before encouraging them to do the same.
However, Donald said much of his sister's statements were false and claimed sex with Isabelle when she was older was consensual.
My God, he raped her while she was in the hosp dying of cancer. Then she dies?!
Que. man guilty of sexually assaulting daughter
Canadian Press
SHERBROOKE, Que. -- A 51-year-old man was convicted by a jury Sunday of sexually assaulting his daughter over a 17-year period.
Renald Cote stood quietly as the jury foreperson read the verdict, which came after seven days of deliberation and a high-profile, sexually explicit, six-week trial.
Cote was accused of incest and sexual assault against Isabelle Cote during her childhood and while she was in hospital fighting ovarian cancer.
She died in July of heat stroke at the age of 22.
Cote faced 14 charges as a result of the allegations involving Isabelle, as well as three others stemming from complaints from two other women. He was convicted of 14 of the 17 charges.
Cote's sons, Serge, 24, and Donald, 27, have been charged separately with sex-related crimes against their sister.
Isabelle Cote made three sworn video and audio tape statements to police and in court between June 2001 and March 2002.
She told of being tied down and raped in a garage by her father and two brothers in 1989 while her uncle filmed the assault. Cote and his sons have denied the rape ever took place.
The jury acquitted Cote of charges related to this alleged event plus one charge of sexual assault against her and one charge relating to the other teens.
She also said her father raped and molested her as she underwent cancer treatments that left her weak and in a wheelchair. Witnesses testified they saw Cote in the hospital kiss his daughter passionately, fondle her breasts and place his fingers inside her shorts.
Johanne Royer-Cote, who testified in support of her husband, said she never thought he would be convicted and told him and their two sons to have courage.
"I'm going to continue to encourage them that the truth will come out,'' she told reporters.
The convictions came a couple of days after Quebec Superior Court Justice Paul Marcel Bellavance reversed his original instructions to the jury by allowing them more leeway with which to convict the accused.
Crown prosecutor Helene Fabi successfully argued on Friday that the time factor should not be considered an obstacle for the jury, in particular in cases involving crimes of a sexual nature and testimony involving memories of things that happened years ago.
Cote will return to court Feb. 5 for the start of sentencing proceedings. Several of the convictions carry maximum sentences of 14 years in prison.
Defence lawyer Pierre Gagnon said he would file an appeal.
In his closing arguments, Gagnon said the jury should carefully review Isabelle Cote's statements before making up their minds.
Gagnon said that when looked at separately her accusations were plausible but didn't add up when compared.
Gagnon also criticized police for their handling of the investigation, saying it was unprofessional.
On Wednesday, Fabi said her two main witnesses, Donald Cote and Serge Cote, are credible even if they weren't always clear about specific dates and times.
Fabi also said contradictions in Isabelle Cote's taped testimony can be attributed to the memory of a young woman trying to recall painful details from her early childhood.
Cote's case has attracted intense media and public attention since the trial began in late fall.
Midway through the trial, a teenaged boy jumped from his front-row seat and went into the prisoner's box and grabbed Renald Cote's shirt moments after the jurors left the courtroom.
As he was handcuffed, the 16-year-old shouted: "Death to all rapists'' and "Goddamn piece of human garbage!''
On the day of Gagnon's closing arguments, the accused's sister volunteered to stay out of the courtroom after jurors complained about her behaviour.
The jurors handed Bellavance a note saying Rejeanne Cote's stares indicated a "flippant attitude'' and that her "mocking smiles'' made them feel uncomfortable.
Testifying in his own defence, Cote told jurors his daughter lied to police when she implicated him in the alleged sexual assaults against her.
However, he said he believed Isabelle told the truth when she said her two brothers raped her.
He admitted he kissed his daughter in the hospital, but said the kisses lasted no longer than two seconds.
Royer-Cote, denied that friends had informed her of the alleged abuse of her daughter by her husband.
The mother said the first time she heard of Isabelle being sexually abused was when the girl told her about it at age 14.
Royer-Cote, who said she herself was a victim of sexual abuse as a child, said Isabelle told her she had been raped by her brother, Donald.
Both Cote brothers testified against their father. They said they were initiated by him into a world of incest against Isabelle when she was four years old. They said their father instructed them on how to have sexual intercourse, adding their father would rape Isabelle before encouraging them to do the same.
However, Donald said much of his sister's statements were false and claimed sex with Isabelle when she was older was consensual.