The cross-examination of a Bountiful man challenging his polygamy conviction is expected to continue in Cranbrook Wednesday morning.
Winston Blackmore was found guilty in July for marrying 24 women over the past 25 years.
His lawyer Blair Suffredine is arguing Blackmore was unfairly prosecuted and believed his religious practices were protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights.
Suffredine submits Blackmore was under that impression after the BC Attorney General didn’t press charges when this process started in the early 1990s.
Special Crown Prosecutor Peter Wilson suggests Blackmore did know multiple marriages were illegal and decided to ignore that law in BC and in the US.
Blackmore told the courtroom Tuesday the province had all the evidence in 1991 to charge him for polygamy but they didn’t, so he thought he was safe.
James Oler, who was also found guilty for polygamy in July, is supporting the constitutional challenge.
Wilson is cross-examining Blackmore regarding an affidavit filed last month.
That’s expected to finish Wednesday morning and the appeal will likely wrap up this week.
Josh Hoffman of Drive FM in Cranbrook filed this report.