The lawyer who represented Gerald Stanley at the trial of the murder of a 22-year-old Indigenous man claims partners at the law firm he was working for at the time forced him out.
Scott Spencer filed a lawsuit against Robertson Stromberg because he believes he was shown the door by his fellow partners after trying to get one of his clients’ stories into a book.
He’s looking for payment after what he calls breaches of contract as a partner with the firm.
After Gerald Stanley was acquitted in the shooting death of Colten Boushie in February 2018, Spencer, as his lawyer, felt the media didn’t report the full set of facts around the high-profile case.
Boushie was shot and killed while sitting in the driver’s seat of an SUV after it was driven onto Stanley’s Biggar, Sask. farm in August 2016.
In court documents, Spencer claims he spoke with partners of the firm to set the record straight through a book.
The statement added a junior lawyer reached out to publishing houses through an initial email.
In March 2018, Toronto publisher Between the Lines issued a public letter saying it would not print the story and urged others to do the same.
In his statement of claim, Spencer said some associates felt embarrassed being linked with Robertson Stromberg in the resulting “social media firestorm.”
The claim went on to say Spencer was made a scapegoat, and he was asked to leave Robertson Stromberg.
Spencer is seeking general and specific damages.
On Nov. 4, the firm asked the court for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
It said some of the allegations are false, inaccurate or misleading and that Spencer resigned from the firm.
Spencer, who now works with Miller Thomson, declined to offer comment to Global News citing the matter is before the courts.
None of the claims have been proven in court.