Man facing weapons charges interrupts N.L. judge

A man accused of plotting to kill police officers in Corner Brook, N.L., interrupted a judge and claimed he was innocent when he appeared in court in Stephenville on Tuesday.

Mark Baltzer, 53, from Somerset, N.S., was arrested Monday shortly after he arrived in Newfoundland on a ferry from his home province.

Police said they were called by a ferry passenger who claimed Baltzer was on his way to Corner Brook, about 100 kilometresnortheast of Stephenville,to kill police officers there.

The police found numerous weapons, including a crossbow and a rifle, and ammunition in his car.

'Do you have to read all of those?' Mark Baltzer to the judge reading 16 charges against him

In court Tuesday, Baltzer interrupted Judge Jacqueline Jenkins as she read out the 16 charges he is facing.

"Do you have to read all of those?" asked Baltzer. He apologized for interrupting after Jenkins said "Yes."

Baltzer is charged with numerous breaches of court orders and illegal possession of firearms.

He was offered help from a legal aid lawyer Tuesday, but declined it, saying he knew the truth and the lawyer did not.

Baltzer told the judge he could prove his innocence if he were allowed to remove his shirt. Its not clear how that would have shown his innocence.

He is scheduled to appear in court again on Thursday.

Baltzer is due in provincial court in Kentville, N.S., on June 28 to opt for a trial by either judge or jury and enter a plea on two charges of uttering threats, one charge of mischief and one charge of resisting a public officer.

The offences are alleged to have occurred in Nova Scotia on April 5.

On April 6, Baltzer signed an undertaking to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, report his whereabouts to RCMP in Kings County and attend court as directed.

He was also ordered not to possess any weapons.