The grandfather of a key witness in the Ottawa police assault trial has filed a formal complaint against defence lawyer Michael Edelson, calling his cross-examination “excessively aggressive and intimidating.”

Norm Doucette filed the complaint with the Law Society of Upper Canada on May 3 after sitting in on the first days of the trial of Constables Thanh Tran and Colin Bowie.

The officers are accused of assault causing bodily harm during the Aug. 13, 2011 arrest of a homeless man, Hugh Styres. They have pleaded not guilty.

“Mr. Edelson repeatedly badgered and harassed my granddaughter over relatively minor details in a blatant attempt to upset and confuse her regarding events took place two years ago when she was only 17,” wrote Doucette following testimony from his granddaughter, River Doucette.

He also wrote that his granddaughter and daughter, Tasha, were doing a “civic duty,” when they reported the alleged abuse.

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