Jurors in Lac-Mégantic trial cost taxpayers $310,000

Taxpayers are on the hook for more than $300,000 in expenses attributed to jurors in the criminal trial for the Lac-Mégantic train explosion that killed 47 people.

That number represents only a small percentage of the total costs to the public, however, according to one of the defence lawyers in the case that was heard at the Sherbrooke courthouse, 150 kilometres east of Montreal.

When figuring in jury compensation ($211,989), hotels ($26,746), meals ($26,829), secured transport ($9,569) and translation services for the bilingual trial ($35,698), the final tally sent to the Justice Department was $310,984. The information was obtained by The Canadian Press through an access to information request and covered only jury-related expenses, excluding costs for the public prosecutors, the judge and all other court personnel.

Fourteen jurors heard the evidence, while only 12 of them were sequestered and came back with three acquittals in the trial that began Oct. 2 and ended Jan. 19.

Train engineer Thomas Harding, traffic controller Richard Labrie and manager of train operations Jean Demaitre were each found not guilty of one count of criminal negligence causing the deaths of 47 people.