FILE PHOTO - Paul Braun, left, is pictured with his lawyer Paul Varga in January 2018.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

PENTICTON - The upcoming trial of a Penticton homeless man took a very public turn today when the City of Penticton released the final offer it made to his lawyer.

A media release posted to the city's website today, May 3, includes a letter to Paul Braun's lawyer with what is characterized as the city's final offer, in what appears to be an effort to avoid a trial.

The letter to defence lawyer Paul Varga calls it a “reasonable offer that can be characterized as a sweetheart deal.”

The offer is for a fine of $88 and is contingent on Braun pleading guilty to all the counts against him in addition to complying with all provisions of the pertinent sections of the city’s Good Neighbour bylaw. Braun has been charged with eight counts of obstruction for sitting in the breezeway in the 200 block of Main Street.

City lawyer Troy DeSouza criticized Varga in court for being photographed in the breezeway with his client earlier this year saying, “Our preference is to try this case in a court of law rather than the media."

If the matter proceeds to trial and Braun is convicted, a fine of $500 on each count will be sought, including restitution to the city in the form of community service, the city says.

The city says it has 13 witnesses it will subpoena prior to the next pre-trial conference scheduled for June 28 and offered a snippet of the expected testimony.

In one witness statement Braun allegedly made unwarranted advances and screamed, "You don’t know how hard it is to be homeless," while demanding money.

“In the Paul Braun case, if the city cannot establish control of its downtown sidewalks around a simple 10 meter breezeway, we will not be successful in addressing other or more serious behaviours,” City of Penticton lawyer Troy DeSouza said in the release.

The release is a highly unusual attempt at public relations in a case currently before the courts. 

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