James Duncan Keats's sexual assault trial delayed by technology - Action News
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Nova Scotia

James Duncan Keats's sexual assault trial delayed by technology

The trial of a paramedic accused of sexually assaulting a 72-year-old woman ran into a technical snag in Windsor provincial court on Thursday.

Court viewing video of RCMP interrogation

The trial of a paramedic accused of sexually assaulting a 72-year-old woman ran into a technical snag in Windsor provincial court on Thursday.

James Duncan Keats is on trial for allegedly assaulting the woman twice: once during an incident in her home and another time during an ambulance ride to hospital.

The court is viewing video of aninterrogation RCMP conducted after they arrested Keats in May 2013.

Keats's lawyer is challenging the admissibility of this statement, so Judge Claudine MacDonald is viewing the video and will hear from witnesses before deciding whether the statement can be used as evidence.

So far, the court has viewed nearly six hours of the eight-hour interrogation. The court must view it in real time, in its entirety including long stretches when police leave Keats alone in the interview room.

During Thursday's session, the video started to skip, causing MacDonald to voice concerns that something might be missed. When the problem continued, the judge decided to adjourn court and attempt to complete viewing of the video Friday.

In part of the video shown on Thursday, Keats repeatedly asked officers to consult again with a lawyer. Each of the three officers who took part in the interrogation reminded him that he had consulted prior to the interview beginning.

At one point an officer asked Keats, "Did you sexually assault or have sex with that woman in that room?"

"I did nothing wrong to that woman in that room," Keats replied.

Since these initial charges were laid, five other women have come forward to make similar allegations against Keats. Trial dates have not been set in those cases.

Keats has been suspended as a paramedic while his legal issues are dealt with.