Mantha's Trial: Verdict Day for Alleged Kidnapper

0:00It's April 7th. Welcome to Calgary News Today, powered by AI. A 62-year-old man named Richard Rover Mata just pleaded not guilty to over 20 charges, including kidnapping, sexual assault, with a weapon and drugging women. He's accused of targeting at least seven women from Calgary's sex trade, luring them from a spot on 19th Avenue, South East, and forest lawn between. December 2021 and March 2023. Now, he's in court today for the verdict after a trial that's dragged on for years. He got arrested back in April 2023, and bail was denied soon after. The whole case kicked off in January 2024, but has been a mess of delays mostly tied to his health. He's had COVID multiple times, plus two strokes that messed with his speech. Meanwhile, he first wanted a French language trial, which is rare in Alberta, but switched to English with a translator. He even fired his lawyer's mid-trial, pushing closing arguments from November all the way

1:00to April. These women were allegedly drugged, taken to his rural property east of Calgary, and assaulted physically and sexually. The impact on survivors has been huge, shining a light on dangers faced by sex workers in the city. As the judge delivers that verdict today, this case wraps a long, bumpy road, reminding us how justice can test patients, but still seeks truth for.