Judge denies request by man accused of killing Toronto cop to have pub ban lifted
A judge has denied a request to partially lift a publication ban in the case of a man accused of killing a Toronto police officer, but says the anticipated evidence "paints a very different picture" than what some politicians and the chief of police have said about the matter.
Umar Zameer, who made the request to alter the ban late last year, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Const. Jeffrey Northrup.
The 55-year-old officer died on July 2 after being struck by a vehicle as he was responding to a report of a robbery in a parking lot at Toronto City Hall. At a news conference later that day, Police Chief James Ramer called what happened an "intentional and deliberate act" -- comments Zameer's lawyer took issue with.
Justice Jill Copeland granted Zameer bail in September, but the reasons for her decision and evidence presented in court are covered by a standard publication ban, which the defence had requested.
The bail decision prompted harsh criticism from Premier Doug Ford, Toronto Mayor John Tory and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.
Zameer's lawyer argued that comments made about the case by police and politicians jeopardized his client's fair trial rights. He said the publication ban needed to be partially lifted to address what he called a "misleading" narrative presented to the public.
Copeland was not persuaded.
"I find that Mr. Zameer's right to a fair trial will be adequately protected by existing safeguards in the jury selection and trial process," she wrote in the decision released Friday.
"Further, I find that lifting the publication ban prior to Mr. Zameer's trial, even partially, is likely to do more harm than good to the fairness and integrity of the trial process."
The judge made note, however, of the comments made by politicians and the chief of police.
"The anticipated trial evidence as a whole, viewed objectively, paints a very different picture than the comments of the Chief of Police the morning after the arrest, and than the impression one would get from the uninformed comments of politicians made after Mr. Zameer was released on bail," she wrote.
Zameer's lawyer, Nader Hasan, said he and his team were "disappointed with the outcome," but respected the court's decision.
"We are encouraged that her Honour did point out in these reasons that the evidence at the bail hearing and the anticipated trial evidence, 'viewed objectively, paints a very different picture' than the public comments made by the police and politicians," Hasan said in an email.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.