The BC Supreme Court judge in the trial of a Dutch man accused of molesting and extorting teen Amanda Todd told jurors to “pay close attention” to the teen’s statements Friday, ending a weeks-long trial with final instructions to jurors before they begin. discussions. Judge Martha Devlin said jurors should be aware of the limitations of evidence given since Todd’s death in 2012, as he did not testify and could not be examined at Aydin Coban’s trial in New Westminster, B.C. Giving her instructions for several hours Friday, Devlin said jurors should carefully consider statements Todd made to her parents, police officers and her electronic communications when considering Coban’s verdict. Coban, 44, pleaded not guilty to extortion, molestation, contacting a young person for a sexual offense and possession and distribution of child pornography when the trial began two months ago. Amanda Todd committed suicide on October 10, 2012, after posting a video on YouTube saying she had been blackmailed by an online predator. (Telus Originals) Speaking outside court on Friday, Todd’s mother said she believed the Crown did a “very good job” of explaining the complexities of cybercrime, blackmail and jurisprudence to jurors throughout the trial, while the defense he “victim blamed” and “shamed” her. late daughter. Carol Todd said it was hard to describe her feelings. “I’m hopeful, but I can’t base my hope on 100 percent because if I don’t hear those words — ‘guilty’ — five times, I’m going to get really upset, really disappointed, and I’m going to go down that rabbit hole. I just have to look at it realistically and hope for the best,” he said. Before summarizing the evidence and testimony provided in the 38-day trial, Devlin made sure to say Friday that Coban was not charged in Todd’s death. Aydin Coban is pictured at the time of his arrest, placed in an exhibit during his trial at the BC Supreme Court. The 44-year-old pleaded not guilty to extortion, possession of child pornography and child enticement in connection with the cyberbullying of Amanda Todd. (BC Supreme Court) Todd committed suicide on October 10, 2012, aged 15, after online exploitation over a three-year period. Before she died, she told her story in a nine-minute video posted on YouTube. The video went viral around the world after her death, with 14.8 million views as of August. Crown prosecutor Louise Kenworthy told jurors in her opening statements that Todd was the victim of a persistent online “blackmail” campaign. Todd’s mother, Carol, attended each day of Coban’s trial, sitting in the back of the courtroom a few feet from the prisoner’s box where the defendant sat with his back turned. THE FIFTH ESTATE | The Sextortion of Amanda Todd
The Sextortion of Amanda Todd
Featuring never-before-seen footage and online conversations, the fifth estate tells the true story of what happened to Amanda Todd, the BC teenager haunted by a revealing Internet photo. The blackmail and sexual blackmail that led to her death — and the new breed of online predators that threaten many other young people who take risks online. Support is available for anyone who has been sexually assaulted. You can access crisis lines and local support services through this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety or the safety of others around you, call 911. If you or someone you know is struggling, here’s where you can get help: This guide from the Addiction and Mental Health Center describes how to talk about suicide with someone you are worried about.
