Ontario’s police oversight agency has stated it will not look into the situation involving a lawyer who claims that several Durham Regional Police Service officers forcefully slammed her head against a desk without cause and dragged her to the basement cells of the Oshawa courthouse last week.
In response to inquiries from , Special Investigations Unit (SIU) spokesperson Kristy Denette explained that Durham police informed the SIU about the incident involving defense attorney Sudine Riley on Tuesday, but the unit has not activated its mandate “at this time.”
“The SIU’s investigative authority is limited to incidents involving officials where there is serious injury, death, allegations of sexual assault or discharge of a firearm at a person,” Denette noted.
According to the SIU’s website, an injury is deemed serious if it “is likely to interfere with the person’s health or comfort and is not transient or trifling in nature.”
This includes injuries that lead to hospitalization, fractures of bones including skulls or limbs, significant burns on a person’s body, as well as losing any part of a body or loss of vision or hearing.
Durham police reported that they are collaborating with court services to gather and analyze all evidence related to the incident. Various legal organizations have issued statements denouncing the alleged assault and demanding an independent inquiry.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Durham police officials mentioned that Riley had been charged with an offense under the Trespass to Property Act, adding that an investigation is ongoing.
“For both the integrity of the investigation and to address any concerns, those officers involved have been reassigned away from courthouse security,” reads their statement.
“However, they are entitled to due process during this investigation as required by law.”
On social media Friday, Durham police shared that allegations surrounding Riley’s arrest go beyond claims of misconduct and involve criminal charges.
“DRPS had already contacted York Regional Police for assistance if their investigative services were needed,” said the police service. “Considering new information has emerged, DRPS has now officially referred this matter to York Regional Police Service for criminal investigation.”
Durham police also indicated they have been in contact with Ontario’s Inspector General of Policing.
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A lawyer is alleging she was violently attacked and dragged to the cells of Oshawa’s courthouse late last week, seemingly for no reason. (Michael Cole/CBC)
Riley stated through her attorney Neha Chugh that she was working in an interview room at the courthouse last Friday when uniformed officers “challenged her presence” there.
Chugh claimed that while acting as security personnel, officers slammed Riley’s head onto the desk and pressed their knees onto her back and neck while speaking with her “with rage, disrespect, and contempt.”</P
She added that officers then forcibly “dragged” Riley out from the room in handcuffs and took her down to the courthouse’s basement cells.</P
“Her head scarf was ripped off; her skirt was lifted while she was handled by officers; her head was bleeding and one eye swollen from being slammed into the desk,” Chugh’s statement says.</P
“She committed no offense other than being a Black woman practicing law diligently in pursuit of justice.”</P
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The police association responds to ‘opportunistic behavior’
<P A statement made on behalf of Durham Regional Police Association (DRPA) president Andrew Tummonds on Friday morning conveyed members’ requests for referral of this matter to Ontario’s police watchdog.<P “Our Association embraces transparency,” Tummonds mentioned in his statement given to . “Even though SIU chose not to investigate at this time, we remain devoted towards having a thorough review conducted by an independent external agency.”</P The police association criticism directed at certain members within local legal circles accused them of engaging in “opportunistic conduct.”</P<P"Tummonds stated: "It's hypocritical and professionally distasteful seeing criminal defense lawyers-whose entire careers hinge on 'presumption of innocence'-abandoning that principle just because it serves their political agenda or personal branding."<P<Tummonds continued: "It's particularly infuriating because these lawyers stand upon their soapboxes today disparaging our profession while enjoying protection from those very officers they are baselessly criticizing." He concluded: "We stand firmly behind our officers and anticipate uncovering factual details through this investigation."Source link
