Nicole Mayer showed up at the Montreal courthouse Friday to post bail for her son, and instead found herself in exactly the same situation as him.
Mayer's son, Eric Shimon Chemama, has been behind bars since he was arrested last November on charges of assaulting female escorts. He allegedly brought them home to his mother's apartment in Ville St-Laurent.
Police claim Mayer was present when some of those sexual assaults were committed, so when she arrived to post her son's bail, police were waiting for her.
She stands accused of being an accomplice in her son's alleged sexual assaults, and will also be charged with obstruction of justice because investigators say she tried to tamper with some of the evidence against her 29 year-old son.
"There were outstanding warrants issued against her for participating with her son in certain infractions," said prosecutor Louis Miville-Deschênes.
Chemama was furious, accusing the prosecution, police, and even Justice Lori Weitzman of conspiring to keep him behind bars.
Chemama's troubles didn't end there.
His lawyer, Jeffrey Boro, asked the judge if he could withdraw himself from the case, arguing he had ethical issues with some of his client's requests.
Chemama then threatened to sue his lawyer and the judge. He declined the judge's advice to seek new counsel and chose instead to defend himself. The prosecution will likely prevent him from doing so.
"I would strongly object to the accused cross-examining the plaintiffs themselves," Miville-Deschênes said.
For now, Chemama will have to remain behind bars. Just like his mother.
