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	Leduc Lawyer Says Her Client Not Part of Conspiracy By Trevor Pritchard Standard-Freeholder February 26, 2009 http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1452348 City lawyer Jacques Leduc did not conspire to cover up allegations of historical sexual abuse, his attorney argued Wednesday. "The invitation to find (there was) a criminal conspiracy involving Mr. Leduc must be rejected," said Danielle Robitaille during the third day of submissions at the Cornwall Public Inquiry. In 1993, Leduc represented the Alexandria-Cornwall Roman Catholic Diocese in its negotiations with David Silmser, a former altar boy who was alleging he was sexually abused by a local priest. The diocese paid Silmser $32,000, but the deal contained an illegal clause keeping Silmser from pursuing any criminal charges. The priest's lawyer, Malcolm MacDonald, was eventually charged with obstructing justice and convicted. Had Leduc been part of a conspiracy, there was no way MacDonald would have taken the fall, Robitaille argued. "It flies in the face of logic that Malcolm MacDonald would be publicly humiliated, admit to obstruction of justice, and risk his license to practice law as a favour to Mr. Leduc - a person with whom he had no personal relationship," she said. Robitaille also pointed out that in January 1994, Leduc admitted his negligence to the national media, despite having "absolutely no obligation to do so." She urged commissioner Normand Glaude to not make findings of misconduct against Leduc because he was not an "institutional actor." Leduc was not employed annually by the diocese, but was only retained for specific matters, she said. "To do so would exceed your jurisdiction," Robitaille told Glaude.
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