Mantha Convicted on 6 Charges, Victims Feel Unheard

0:00Richard Manta, a 62-year-old man from Calgary, just got convicted on six out of 20 charges in a sexual assault case involving seven women, the court found him guilty of assaulting three of them, mostly vulnerable sex workers he allegedly drugged and abused. But the judge dismissed the bulk of the charges, calling much of the victim's testimony unreliable. The judge sided with the defense, ruling that while Manta supplied drugs to most victims, they often took them voluntarily, so it didn't count as, administering noxious substances to harm them. She convicted him on just one such count, saying it was meant to annoy rather than seriously injure. Jockey Meyer from her victory, an advocacy group for its boyded women, is speaking out against the decision. She says it leaves victims feeling unheard and retraumatized, especially with fears of Manta getting released. It could chill reporting from sex workers, worsening under-reported trafficking cases. Manta was nabbed back on April 6, 2023 after a huge police search of a rural property east of Calgary,

1:02complete with cadaver. Dogs, though no bodies turned up, his trial started in January 2024, but hit the lays, including a stroke in May, that left him unable to speak. The crown even dropped charges for two victims, one who died before testifying. Sentencing happens this Friday, with Manta still locked up. Victims worry about his release despite his health issues, hoping for tough punishment to deter others and let these women finally heal and move. Forward. From your city, powered by AI, this is Calgary News Today.