Waterloo Regional Police have charged Hal Mattson, a prominent Kitchener lawyer, with one count of obstruction of justice in a judicial proceeding.
Police allege that he interfered in a criminal trial by attempting to influence witness testimony.
Speaking exclusively with CTV News, Mattson says "They've charged me and I'll be before the courts. I've contacted a lawyer and we'll just have to work it through the court system."
Police allege that the incident happened in October, during preliminary hearings for a criminal trial involving five people charged with attempted murder and narcotics offences.
The charges were connected to a shooting in Cambridge in March 2009, and the case was resolved Monday with four pleading guilty and the charges being withdrawn against one other accused.
Waterloo Regional Police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel says they became involved in the matter about three weeks ago.
"Late in October police received a complaint involving this particular situation…and as a result of the ongoing investigation since late October, the arrest and charges were laid."
Mattson, 55, was arrested at a coffee shop across the street from the provincial court house, where he was working, on Monday afternoon.
He says he was told he was under arrest, handcuffed, placed in police car and taken down to Division One where he was held for about three and half hours.
"It was a shock to me," Mattson adds, "it happened in a public place, that's never pleasant."
Brennan Smart is a defence lawyer who also works at the provincial court house, and he's among those wondering why it was done in such a visible way.
"My own question is why that procedure had to be adopted when a phone call to Mr. Mattson and allowing him to turn himself in with counsel would have accomplished the arrest of Mr. Mattson in a more dignified manner."
Mattson was released on a promise to appear. He has retained the services of Toronto lawyer Tim Breen and will return to court next month to deal with the matter.
