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Ruben Manz Trial: Jury hears closing arguments from defense in sexual assault case

Ruben Manz Trial: Jury hears closing arguments from defense in sexual assault case

The defense presented closing arguments to the jury in the case of a Regina chiropractor accused of sexual assault Wednesday afternoon.

Ruben Manz faces a total of seven counts of sexual assault. He was first arrested in April 2021 after two former clients came forward alleging they were victims of “inappropriate and unwanted acts” during chiropractic treatments.

After his arrest, other customers came forward.

The alleged incidents took place over a decade.

During the nearly four-week trial, all seven complainants and defendants took the stand to give evidence. Both the Crown and defense also called their own experts.

Credibility questioned

Defense lawyer Kathy Hodgson-Smith questioned the credibility of the alleged victims’ testimony in her closing remarks, often calling each of their memories “poor.”

“What (they) are saying doesn’t make sense,” the lawyer said. “And it is contradictory.”

Hodgson-Smith often highlighted Manz’s time on the stand, calling him “consistent”.

“(Manz) was a chiropractor doing his job,” she said. “His treatment was within the standard of care. It was the right treatment. stretching the PNF was medically indicated.”

“Why would he give up his dream of being a chiropractor that he had since he was four years old. Why would he throw his and his wife’s wellness clinic, his life’s work, out the window to touch a breast,” Hodgson-Smith added.

The defense compared the case to a bowl full of thousands of beads. The beads represent every patient Manz has ever treated in his more than two decades as a chiropractor.

Through her arguments, she was making a request to remove the individual complainants’ cases from an imaginary bowl.

“There are seven beads on the table that appear to be independent,” Hodgson-Smith said.

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But as she continued her remarks, she pointed out how to connect the beads. Claiming that Manz’s testimony remained unchanged while Appellant’s did not.

“We conveniently take a needle and stick it into the (beads) that connect these people (together),” Hodgson-Smith described.

Defense Perceived Verdict Action Plan

The defense then presented the jury with an outline of how they could reach a not guilty verdict, asking them to consider three questions for each charge against Manz.

First, did he touch her breasts?

And if the answer to the question is “Yes”, go to the second question. Did he touch her breasts on purpose?

And if the answer to this question was also “Yes”, then you can move on to the third question. Did he touch her breasts in sexual circumstances?

If the answer to all three questions is “Yes,” the jury could find Manz guilty.

But if the answer was ever “No,” a jury should find Manz not guilty.

Proceedings delayed

The proceedings were delayed Wednesday because the defense needed more than two hours to hear their closing arguments.

Because the court was unable to retain the jury until 4:30 p.m., Judge Janey McMutry was forced to adjourn Hodgson-Smith’s speech before she had completed her entire argument.

The defense will be able to complete its closing remarks Thursday afternoon, before the Crown presents its closing arguments.

It was then that Judge McMutry was to give her final instructions to the jury and seclude them to reach their verdict.

Due to the delay, the jury will be closed from Friday morning.

Thirteen jurors heard the case over nearly four weeks of proceedings. Before they are isolated, one member will be randomly selected and removed, and the decision will be made by 12 people.

They must reach a unanimous verdict on each charge before they can be released.