Very full courtroom here at old city hall for Marcella Zoia #chairgirl sentencing, including what looks like a class of students.
#chairgirl is here, as are two balcony chairs
The two chairs, and their two cushions are being introduced as exhibits. As well as stills from Zoia’s Snapchat.
Crown Heather Keating says it’s not every day that the courtroom is this full of media, but it’s an oppourtunity to explain the purpose and principles of sentencing, in this case she argues they are “denunciation and deterrence.”
Crown is seeking a sentence of 9 months in jail for #chairgirl, saying it must address consequences “both actual and potential.”
Crown compares #chairgirl’s case to dangerous driving.
“Ms. Zoia is extraordinarily lucky hat she didn’t kill someone,” Crown says. It was at “height of weekend morning” in “an area thick with condos.”
Crown says chair was thrown around 10 am on a Saturday morning, security was alerted by a concerned citizen around 1015, at least 20 ppl “including a woman pushing a stroller” left during that time period according to security video.
Crown is showing still from security footage of Highway and pedestrian area “there should be no minimizing her actions or the jeopardy that she placed civilians.”
Crown questions whether #chairgirl guilty plea is actually a genuine expression of remorse. This sense “comes from her words and not her wardrobe.” In Pre sentence report she seems to regret consequences for her personally, says it was “just jokes.”
Idea that someone else took the chair throwing video and posted it to Zoia’s Snapchat account: “quite simply this is nonesense,” says Crown, and doesn’t matter bc she knew she was being filmed.
Doesn’t matter if she was “architect” of media attention, Crown says, what matters is that #chairgirl threw a “heavy object off a 45th floor of a building into a heavily trafficked area and knew she was being filmed,” Crown says.
Crown says #chairgirl maintains that she hates social media and thinks it has ruined society, yet she continues to use it.
Now crown is clarifying that she is seeking a jail sentence of four to six months for #chairgirl, followed by two years of probation,240 community service and a possible ban on posting to social media for some of probation.
Crown says #chairgirl turned social media exposure “into a brand and into employment,” must send message to public that it’s not ok to throw things off condos.
If no jail time “maybe getting into a Drake video, even for a moment might seem worth it,” crown says. #chairgirl
Court on recess until 1125.
And we’re back. Zoia’s lawyer Greg Leslie submits letters from Salvation Army and a thrift store showing she did some community service, and completed an alcohol and drug awareness certificate with SA, and also a letter from a doctor outlining mental health issues.
Zoia’s lawyer Greg Leslie, says drugs aren’t an issue for his client but “alcohol here is a huge factor.”
Leslie says Zoia was diagnosed with ADHD at a “very young age.”
Zoia is “self medicating with alcohol” and it has “become a major problem,” Leslie says. She was “strong student,” who had attended university for psychology.
“On the day of the offence she was drinking the night before,” Leslie says. Zoia is sitting beside him watching with a neutral expression.
We are watching the chair throwing video from her Snapchat. It is clear that Ms Zoia is holding on to the chair with both hands, not holding phone, looks down before she throws it, Leslie says. His client says it fell into an empty space below Lakeshore.
Leslie says Zoia has been very clear she’s “never intended to hurt anybody,” was “not the most mature young lady,” at the time and felt “peer pressure,” to throw chair. #chairgirl
“It was a spontaneous reaction,” Leslie says.
“My client did not post that video and she never intended to get any social media attention from it,” says #chairgirl lawyer Greg Leslie.
“Her alcohol consumption has greatly diminished since the event,” Leslie says.
Leslie also stresses her young age and potential for rehabiltion. He’s arguing for a suspended sentence that would include counselling.
#chairgirl social media posts of beaches and bottle service don’t mean she’s not taking this seriously, her lawyer argues. “She is just a young woman doing things young women do and posting them.” “She is remorseful.”
Leslie is arguing for a suspended sentence of two or more years of probation with whatever terms the court wants.
Crown is back up, whether or not #chairgirl posted it to her Snapchat doesn’t matter. “What matters is that she threw that chair knowing she was being filmed, she looks directly into the camera.” “I can’t think of a stronger crown’s case, she’s on video committing the crime.”
Zoia is speaking “I’m sorry..I never intended to hurt anybody and I know this was a very immature and selfish mistake...I have a lot of work to do I want to improve my life..I’m aware that someone could have been hurt or I could have caused an accident.”
Takes as a lesson.
Takes as a lesson.
And we’re done after 3ish hours, no decision today on #chairgirl sentencing, back March 12
#chairgirl, dressed all In black, exits court in a flurry of media. Doesn’t stop to chat.
#chairgirl lawyer Greg Leslie speaks to media, says she’s going through a low and getting hate mail
Here's the quick file from #chairgirl's sentencing today. She apologized, but we'll have to wait until March to see if she gets jail time. *end of chair related content from me for now* thestar.com/news/gta/2020/…
