Jan 29, 2012
Toronto Police Accused of Corruption
Former pot dealer, Cristopher Quigley, claims he was brutally beaten, robbed, and illegally searched by Toronto drug squad officers 14 years ago. Officers John Schertzer, Steven Correia, Nebojsa Maodus, Joseph Miched and Raymond Pollard are accused of corruption, involving the beating and robbing of drug dealers, and falsifying police records.
The charges concern Cristopher Quigley’s arrest in April 1998. While he was arrested for possessing stolen sunglasses, Quigley alleges that he was repeatedly beaten to divulge information about his cash and drugs. The officers allegedly threatened to ransack his apartment if he didn’t comply, and punched, kicked and choked Quigley until he lost consciousness. “I was terrified, I really thought I was going to die,” Quigley claims.
Quigley claims to having been brought to a holding cell where he started throwing up blood and had to be rushed to the hospital. When he was eventually released and returned home, his apartment was allegedly “torn apart”. The officers had searched his house without warrant and stolen $54,000 from his mother’s safe deposit box.
Quigley was eventually released on bail and later charged with various offences. He pleaded those down to the possession of marijuana and as part of the deal, agreed not to sue the officers who allegedly assaulted him.
Quigley’s is the first of five cases the Crown intends to use to prove the officers were beating up and intimidating suspects, stealing from them, and then lying to prosecutors. Quigley first laid charges in 2004, but delays have slowed the case’s progress through the courts. This past week’s cross-examination resulted in a shouting match where the Superior Court judge repeatedly had to intervene.
The defence cast skepticism on Quigley’s version of the story, alleging that Quigley attacked the officers and his injuries occurred in the course of restraining him. The extent of Quigley’s injuries are alleged to have been exaggerated and the defence claims there is no way of knowing precisely how much cash was seized given the illegal nature of his marijuana sales.
The trial is expected to last seven months. To read more, click here, here, and here.
