WINNIPEG — Guido Amsel, the man accused of sending three letter bombs and severely injuring his ex-wife’s lawyer, had his bail hearing Thursday in a Winnipeg courtroom.
The courtroom was packed as Amsel’s family and media anticipated a lengthy and dramatic day hearing details of a case that’s captivated the city.
Wearing a blue suit and red tie, Amsel was escorted into court by two sheriffs. He made eye contact with his family and wife sitting in the front row, smiled and waved at them. His wife broke down in tears and was comforted by family.
Defence lawyer Martin Glazer requested a publication ban on the proceedings, preventing any details from being made public.
But he told reporters outside of court he will be asking the judge to release Amsel on the conditions that he wear on ankle monitoring bracelet and his wife put up a $100,000 surety.
READ MORE: Alleged letter bomber Guido Amsel will plead not guilty: Lawyer
The hearing could not finish Thursday and will continue September 2. The judge is expected to reserve her decision until a later date.
In early July, Amsel was charged with three counts of attempted murder and multiple weapons and explosive charges after allegedly sending letter bombs to three women.
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One went off July 3 in the hands of Amsel’s ex-wife’s lawyer Maria Mitousis, who lost her left hand; another was detonated by police at Amsel’s ex-wife’s autobody business; the third was detonated by police at Amsel’s former lawyer’s office on Stradbrook Street. Amsel and his ex-wife were still dealing with details of a messy divorce.
READ MORE: Lawyer hurt in bomb blast shows resilience, humour, expresses thanks
Amsel had some difficulty retaining a lawyer, at least in part due to conflicts of interest in the Winnipeg law community. Amsel finally retained Glazer, a high-profile defence lawyer who says his client is innocent and doesn’t even know how to make a bomb.
READ MORE: Guido Amsel faces more charges and finds lawyer in Winnipeg
“He had no motive,” Glazer said in a July 24 interview with Global News. “He divorced his wife 11 years ago, he remarried 10 years ago — all or most of the civil matters were settled already.”
The prosecution has very little evidence, Glazer said.
“There’s no bomb-making equipment found, there’s no DNA, there’s no fingerprints.”
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