A Vancouver Provincial Court judge issued a second use of force order on Friday to get a man refusing to leave his jail cell to attend court.
Joseph Brian Denis Grenon, 45, is charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm to two people on Aug. 15, 2024.
Grenon is also charged with committing mischief by willfully obstructing use or operation of the Vancouver Public Library.
The irony in the case is that if Grenon were to show up for a court appearance, the Crown is likely going to stay some charges against him.
He was due in court three times the week of Jan. 6-10 and refused to leave his cell each time.
At a Nov. 29 appearance, Judge Patricia Bond issued an order for sheriffs to deliver Grenon to court to appear in person. That was followed by two refusals to attend court via video Dec. 16 and Jan. 6, records said.
So, on Jan. 6, Crown prosecutor Georges Prat applied to Judge Harbans Dhillon to have Grenon brought to court Jan. 7.
The judge agreed. But, she said, Grenon should be given the option to voluntarily attend court via video before being forced to appear in person.
When Grenon was due to appear Jan. 9, he again refused, spurring Judge Ellen Gordon to make an order for him to be brought in person.
Still, on Jan. 10, Grenon again refused.
“He refuses to appear pretty much every time,” Prat said.
Prat said Grenon had appeared earlier in the week via video.
“He refused to say anything,” Prat said. “It’s obviously not helpful. We’re trying to confirm his trial dates here.”
Once more Dhillon issued an order for force to be used if needed to get Grenon to attend the next appearance Jan. 13.
It wasn’t the first time Dhillon had to make such an order on Jan. 10.
John Ambrose Seward, who is charged with breaching a long-term supervision order, also refused to leave his cell to attend court earlier that day.
Dhillon said if he would not attend voluntarily or via video, Seward would be brought to court by the “muscle” of corrections officers.
