Judge Lori Douglas
The inquiry into sexually explicit photos of a Manitoba judge became even more lurid Wednesday, as the man who filed the complaint faced accusations he was prepared to have sex for money with another woman.
Alexander Chapman, the man who says he was sexually harassed by Lori Douglas before she became a judge, found himself on the defensive as Judge Douglas's lawyer, Sheila Block, read from his day planner.
In May, 2003, Mr. Chapman wrote about receiving a proposition from a neighbour named Dennis.
"He would pay me $500 a week to do her," the handwritten entry reads.
"I would flatter his wife with compliments and get..." an adjacent entry reads. The end of the sentence is erased. "He would walk in. He would ask me to leave, walk out the door, pay me later."
Mr. Chapman had earlier told the inquiry he was being paid $500 a week to teach his neighbour's wife computer skills. Ms. Block suggested Wednesday he had lied.
"You've given an account to the (inquiry) panel which I'm going to suggest is false," Ms. Block said.
Mr. Chapman denied Ms. Block's suggestion and maintained he was teaching the woman how to use software.
As Ms. Block continued to ready from the day planner, Mr. Chapman said "That's not right."
"It's your diary," Ms. Block fired back.
The exchange was the latest in a string of attacks on Mr. Chapman's credibility. Under questioning Tuesday, he admitted to falsely claiming on his job resume that he has a university degree. He also admitted that he received $135,000 in 2011 when he sold his share in a jazz club. Mr. Chapman did not declare that money when he applied for a publicly funded lawyer for the inquiry, and instead declared his total income at $1,500.
Credibility is a key component of the inquiry now underway by the Canadian Judicial Council, because Mr. Chapman and Judge Douglas have very different stories about what happened nine years ago.
Mr. Chapman alleges he had been the target of a sexual plan by Judge Douglas and her husband, Jack King, in 2003. At the time, Mr. King was Mr. Chapman's divorce lawyer and Judge Douglas was a lawyer at the same firm as her husband.
Mr. Chapman, who is black, alleges he was approached by Mr. King to have sex with Judge Douglas, and was directed to Dark Cavern, a website dedicated to sex between black men and white women. On that website were two dozen photos of Judge Douglas, some of which showed her in bondage gear or performing sex acts. Mr. King also e-mailed some photos to Mr. Chapman.
Mr. Chapman said he was not into strange sex and was only talking about the matter with Mr. King because he wanted to ensure Mr. King finalized his divorce. Mr. Chapman says the experience traumatized him and has left him unable to work.
Mr. King has admitted to harassing Judge Douglas and pleaded guilty to professional misconduct. In 2003, he paid Mr. Chapman $25,000 to settle the matter, on the condition Mr. Chapman return all the photos and never discuss the matter publicly. Mr. Chapman broke that deal in 2010, saying he was still suffering.
Mr. King and Judge Douglas have maintained all along that Mr. King acted without Judge Douglas's knowledge — that Judge Douglas was unaware of Mr. King's sexual plans and had no idea sexually explicit photos he had taken of her were on the Internet.
But Mr. Chapman insists Judge Douglas was in on the plan, and filed a complaint in 2010 with the judicial council. Mr. Chapman says he and Judge Douglas never had sex, and never even talked about sex, but there was some flirtation during a brief meeting at a bar that had been arranged by Mr. King.
Judge Douglas has denied flirting with or touching Mr. Chapman at any time.
While the inquiry started this week with the sexual harassment allegation against Judge Douglas, it will also examine whether Judge Douglas disclosed the controversy, and the fact that nude photos of her were on the Internet, when she was screened for her judicial appointment in 2005. At least one other judge is expected to testify about what Judge Douglas revealed to the screening panel.
Judge Douglas is facing four allegations:
— that she sexually harassed Mr. Chapman;
— that she failed to disclose the issue when she was screened for a judicial appointment;
— that she didn't fully disclose some facts to the inquiry and changed a 2003 entry in her personal diary in 2010;
— that the photos have undermined confidence in the justice system and her ability to act as a judge.
Through her lawyer, Judge Douglas has denied all the allegations. Judge Douglas is expected to testify next week.
Judge Douglas and Mr. King, who have one child together, have remained married.