Cop's account of lead-up to partner's death partly 'revisionist history': defence

Defence lawyers for a man accused of running over a Toronto police officer are suggesting another officer's account of what happened in the moments before the crash is partly "revisionist history."

Sgt. Lisa Forbes, whose partner was killed, is being cross-examined at the murder trial of Umar Zameer.

Zameer has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Det. Const. Jeffrey Northrup, who was hit by a car in an underground parking garage on July 2, 2021.

• Download our app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

Forbes has testified that she and Northrup walked up to Zameer's SUV around midnight, and that she identified herself as a police officer at that time.

Defence lawyer Nader Hasan suggested this morning that she and Northrup in fact rushed towards the vehicle, and that she was much more "aggressive" in her approach than she previously indicated.

Forbes rejected the suggestion, saying she and Northrup were walking "with purpose" but "by no means was it a rush or a jog."

The defence has argued Zameer did not realize Northrup and Forbes were officers, and he and his wife thought they were being ambushed by criminals.

Court has heard the officers were in the garage to investigate a stabbing. Zameer was not involved in the stabbing, though he and his family had coincidentally walked past the victim earlier in the night, court heard.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 22, 2024.