Another woman charged in the riot pleads not guilty. Argh, this one pisses me off more than the first one, because she originally intended to plead guilty! Quote:
Beauty queen Sophie Laboissonniere has changed her mind.
Laboissonniere, charged with break and enter and participating in a riot charges for her part in the Stanley Cup riot, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.
Laboissonniere, crowned Miss Congeniality at a Miss Coastal Vancouver pageant last year, said in late January that she would enter a guilty plea.
He eight-day trial is scheduled to start in April 2013.
Meanwhile, also on Tuesday, two Burnaby men pleaded guilty to their roles in last year’s riot.
Tuesday’s guilty pleas from the Burnaby men brought the total to 13 rioters who have entered guilty pleas. Vancouver police also recommended the Crown make 19 additional charges to seven people Tuesday, three of whom are considered youths.
Timothy Tin-Chew Kwong, 30, and Fernando Bernabe, 20, both of Burnaby, pleaded guilty to participating in a riot.
Bernabe had two mischief charges for damaging vehicles dropped in his guilty plea, consistent with past deals with the Crown to drop additional charges when an accused accepts the participation in a riot charge.
Kwong pleaded guilty to an additional charge of arson.
A remorseful Bernabe stood outside Vancouver Provincial Court to apologize and said he’s trying to move on.
“I’m sorry to do that to the city,” Bernabe said politely with his mother by his side. “It was an in the moment kind of thing . . . It shouldn’t have happened. I’m just trying to move on.”
And while he admits he was in the wrong, he still doesn’t remember the night.
“It’s just, I don’t remember what I did,” Bernabe started. “I was really intoxicated at the time.”
Kwong declined comment. His lawyer, Brian Mickelson, said Kwong was taking full responsibility for his charges. Kwong’s additional charge of arson was for his role in setting fire to a GMC Sierra the night of the riot. His sentencing is set for Nov. 30, 2012.
Two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old, all from Sidney, were charged with participation in a riot and mischief.
Christopher Moewes, 24, Harkamal Bhullar, 18, Rajinder Sandhu, 23, both of Richmond, and Patrick Judge, 25, of Port Moody were also charged.
Connor Epp, 20, of Maple Ridge entered a guilty plea on Monday.
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