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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Expert Witness Sues Legal Affairs Columnist

VANCOUVER, B.C. (CN) - An expert witness claims in court that an attorney's bad behavior in court - comparing him to Johnny Carson's Carnac the Magnificent character - led to a mistrial, after which the lawyer defamed him in an interview with the Vancouver Sun's legal affairs columnist.

Amrit Toor, an accident reconstruction specialist with Intech Engineering, sued attorney Thomas Harding, Vancouver Sun columnist Ian Mulgrew, the newspaper's corporate parent Postmedia, and its editor in chief and publisher.

Toor claims that during the trial involving British Columbia's state-owned insurance company, Harding characterized his testimony as absurd, likening him to Carnac the Magnificent.

Toor says the portrayal proved too much for the judge, who called Harding's mockery inappropriate.

Toor claims that in an interview with Mulgrew, who wrote a July 3 column about the case for the Vancouver Sun, Harding mocked Toor's testimony and said the jury laughed when the lawyer challenged Toor's assessment of the accident.

Harding's client claimed his motorcycle had been struck by a tire from an unidentified vehicle on the highway.

Toor claims that Harding's words falsely implied that he is "an unprofessional, unethical fool or buffoon who gave incompetent, biased and ludicrous testimony in British Columbia Supreme Court."

He claims that Harding defamed him by implying that he is "unfit to provide forensic engineering and accident reconstruction services."

Toor claims the defendants refused his request to retract and apologize for the July 3 column.

He seeks damages for defamation.

He is represented by Roger McConchie.

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