Toronto's police chief clarifies initial statement on Umar Zameer acquittal, says he 'accepts' jury's finding
Toronto's Chief of Police has clarified a statement that he'd hoped for "a different outcome" made just after Umar's Zameer acquittal, telling reporters Tuesday he supports and accepts the jury's finding in the five-week trial.
“Let me be crystal clear: I support and accept the verdict of the jury,” Chief Myron Demkiw said at a news conference at Toronto police headquarters.
“I have always been a supporter of the justice process, including all elements of the system that leads us towards justice.”
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Demkiw pinned the comment made Sunday on a desire to seek closure, “as elusive as closure can be,” in the death of Toronto Police Det. Const. Jeffrey Northrup.
The officer, alongside partner Lisa Forbes, were in plainclothes and had rushed Zameer's car while investigating a nearby stabbing, the court heard.
While Zameer has always maintained he didn't know Northrup and Forbes were undercover officers, the prosecution alleged otherwise, suggesting the Brampton accountant intentionally ran Northrup down.
On Monday, Demkiw ordered the Ontario Provincial Police to conduct an “independent review” of Toronto police after Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy raised concerns about the reliability of officer testimony in the Umar Zameer trial.
Denkiw also ordered an internal review of plainclothes policing procedures.
Reporters pressed the police chief Tuesday on concerns raised over the independence of one police agency investigating another. In response, Denkiw said safeguards will be put in place to prevent bias and ultimately, “go where the facts lead us.”
When asked whether the requested review could be interpreted as an acknowledgement of error, Demkiw said it was too early to comment.
In Zameer’s testimony, he said he feared his family was being robbed when an man and woman in plainclothes rushed towards his car, and started banging on it when he locked his door.
The police chief acknowledged that “every encounter with the public matters” when it comes to mending the public’s trust in police.
“We certainly recognize the concerns of the community. We're going to do everything we can to rebuild trust in the best way we possibly can.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.