Ethical differences between a Calgary Remand Centre rape suspect and his lawyer have derailed his trial.
Defence counsel David Andrews told court Tuesday he could no longer act for Ali Sanghar after a lengthy discussions with his client.
The breakdown in their relationship came a day after a fellow inmate testified he was raped by Sanghar and another prisoner in their shared cell.
“I’m unable to proceed on the basis of Mr. Sanghar’s instructions,” Andrews told provincial court Judge Jim Ogle.
“It’s a matter of ethics which gives rise to the breakdown,” he said, without elaborating further.
Because of rules governing solicitor/client privilege, lawyers are usually vague in explaining why they can no longer represent accused persons.
Ogle granted Andrews application to withdraw and gave Sanghar a day to determine whether he wanted to continue on representing himself, or adjourn his trial to get new counsel.
Sanghar, speaking through a Farsi translator, initially indicated he would represent himself, but later said he would try to find a new lawyer.
Both he and Samar Sigar are charged with sexually assaulting a wannabe white supremicist who arrived at the Calgary jail on May 29, 2010, with Nazi symbols cut into his hair.
The complainant, who at the time said he was trying to join the Western European Bloodlines, a white supremacist group, said he shaved his head when he arrived in remand and started getting threatening comments.
He said during the night he woke to find a towel over his head and a weapon pointed at the back of his neck.
He testified he was first assaulted by Sigar, who said he could either rape him, or murder him, and then Sanghar.
Under cross-examination by Andrews and Sigar’s lawyer, Alan Fay, the witness denied having consensual sex with the two men.
