A lawyer who represented a number of churches across Canada in their fight against COVID-19 restrictions is in court after admitting to hiring a private investigator in 2021 to pursue senior government officials and a Manitoba judge presiding over one of the organization’s cases. was charged by Winnipeg police. .
The Winnipeg Police Service said it has charged John Carpi, 55, with intimidating a participant in the justice system and attempting to obstruct justice.
The Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms, which employed Karpai, said it learned of a warrant issued by Winnipeg police for Karpai’s arrest on Friday.
The Alberta-based organization said in a statement posted on its website Sunday that the warrant was issued “apparently in connection with events that occurred in 2021 and an allegation of obstruction of justice.”
Carpay immediately turned himself in to the Calgary Police Service after learning of the warrant, the statement said.
It also revealed that Carpi had been released on bail, with the only condition that he not contact current Manitoba Crown Court Chief Justice Glenn Joyal. The Calgary-based lawyer has had no contact with the judge since he apologized for pursuing Joyal in 2021.
A spokesperson for the Calgary Police Service said it assisted in Carpi’s arrest, but deferred further inquiries to Winnipeg police.
Carpi’s decision to hire a private investigator to follow then-Chief Justice Glenn Joyal of Manitoba was revealed in July 2021 during a hearing in a case against the pandemic laws brought by seven rural Manitoba churches. Karpai organization
Joyal told the hearing that he was being pursued by a private investigator in an attempt to catch him flouting COVID-19 laws to embarrass him while he was presiding over the court.
At that time, Karpai organization also apologized to Joyal and said that it condemns the lawyer’s actions.
Joyal said the oversight would not affect his decision in the case — in which he later issued Manitoba’s pandemic restrictions. It was not a violation of charter rights – but noted that the invasion of privacy has raised serious concerns about the safety of judges in general.
Joyal also said that this type of activity could be considered obstruction of justice and Winnipeg police are investigating.
The Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms called the lawyer’s accusation “unexpected and unexplained” in its statement on Sunday.
The agency also said it was “deeply disappointed” by the decision to charge Carpay more than a year after the events in question, which it said are “currently being dealt with appropriately.”
After Carpi apologized for hiring private investigators — which he said was to hold government officials accountable and not influence the decision in the Manitoba case — his organization’s board said he would do so. Take unlimited vacation as its president
The agency said on Sunday that the leave lasted seven weeks, during which its board “took appropriate steps to strengthen governance and oversight.”
It also said Carpay is cooperating with an investigation by the Law Society of Manitoba, which is separate from the police matter.
Allegations of professional misconduct
A spokesperson for the Law Society of Manitoba said its investigation is complete and charges of professional misconduct against Carpay have been upheld.
The Law Society of Manitoba website says the three-day hearing in Carpi’s case is scheduled to begin Feb. 8. Carpi is accused of breaching integrity, undermining public respect for the administration of justice and failing to treat the court with honesty, fairness and courtesy. And respect, the website says.
Manitoba’s Legal Profession Act says a lawyer found guilty of professional misconduct can face consequences including fines, suspension or disbarment.
Ottawa human rights lawyer Richard Warman, who filed the complaint about Carpay that prompted the Law Society investigation, said he thinks the case is unprecedented in terms of professional misconduct by a lawyer.
“I can’t recall any lawyer going so far as to hire a private investigator to go after the district judge presiding over a case they’re sitting on,” he said Monday.
I have no doubt that it will be studied for years to come as a prime example of professional misconduct.
Warman said he was relieved to hear that Carpay was also being charged with a crime, but was surprised it had taken so long — especially since the case involved a guilty plea in open court.
Given that factor, he said it was “ultimately naïve” that Carpai said the charge against the lawyer was unexpected.