Tells court collection might have included paintings boyfriend is accused of stealing

Sue Montgomery

Myriam Bedard has a large collection of paintings and used to store some of them at her father's house, the Olympic gold medal biathlete testified yesterday at her lover's trial for theft and possession of works allegedly stolen from a Montreal artist.

During Easter weekend 2002, Bedard said, her father came to her Brossard house to take some of her artwork back to Quebec City with him.

"I was moving in, didn't have an alarm system and thought they would be safer with him," Bedard told the 10-woman, two-man jury.

Her boyfriend, artist Nima Mazhari, is alleged to have stolen 20 paintings by the late Ghitta Caiserman-Roth.

Bedard was shown photos of four of the paintings yesterday and was asked if she recognized them. Bedard said only the one with sunflowers looked familiar, although she wasn't sure it was a painting that belonged to her.

"There are many contradictory versions of these photos," she said.

"It's hard to say who's telling the truth or if they're even telling the truth."

Superior Court Justice Wilbrod Claude Decarie grew impatient with prosecutor Mario Dufresne, whose questions were vague and confusing, leaving both the judge and defence shaking their heads.

Later in the day, the jury passed the judge a note, the contents of which suggested their minds weren't focused on the trial, which is becoming more muddled by the day.

They asked several questions about their compensation, including how often they'd be paid, whether they'd be paid for the Victoria Day holiday, who would cover their parking, transit, mileage and daycare costs, and whether their pay of $90 a day was taxable.

The judge assured them they'd be paid today, but unfortunately wouldn't be compensated for Monday's holiday.

Then the prosecutor resumed his questioning of Bedard.

Det.-Sgt. Alain Lacoursiere of Montreal police has already testified he interviewed Mazhari in June 2004 and showed him the photos of the paintings.

Mazhari told him they were Caiserman-Roth's work except for a painting of sunflowers that he claimed was his work, with some additions by Caiserman-Roth.

The two artists met in 1998 and decided to share a studio on St. Laurent Blvd. that was rented in both their names, Mazhari said in the statement to Lacoursiere.

Bedard's father first signalled the alarm that Mazhari was in possession of stolen paintings in January 2004.

Pierre Bedard sent an anonymous letter and photos of paintings to Caiserman-Roth's daughter, Kathe Roth, to denounce Mazhari for alleged theft and illegal possession of the works.

The trial is to continue today.

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