“Gratuitous Attack and Deliberate Concealment of Crime”: Dafonte Miller Case

Dafonte Miller, represented by his lawyer Julian Falconer of Falconers LLP, has filed a complaint with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director in connection with the vicious assault and subsequent charges laid against him on December 28, 2016.

The complaint alleges that Toronto police and Durham regional police tried to cover up the attack on Miller to protect Michael Theriault, a Toronto constable, and his brother Christian Theriault from prosecution.

The complaint, which was filed Tuesday, further alleges the police forces “blindly” accepted the brothers’ accounts of what happened, despite Miller’s obvious and severe injuries and the presence of witnesses, who they failed to interview.

It also alleges that the Theriaults’ father, a detective with the Toronto police professional standards unit, was in contact with Durham investigators about the case, “thereby furthering the concealment” of the incident. Toronto’s police chief has said that the professional standards unit made the call not to contact the province’s police watchdog.

The Special Investigations Unit wasn’t notified of the alleged incident until months later, by Falconers LLP, and has since charged the brothers with aggravated assault and other offences.

Falconer stated, “this represented, in my opinion, a deliberate and intentional effort on the part of police authorities to conceal a crime by one of their own.”

In the News

Demonstrators protest outside hearing for brothers charged in beating of Dafonte Miller        Toronto Star, September 7, 2017

Toronto police board meeting to happen today under threat of protest over teen’s beating    CBC, August 24, 2017

Coordinated cover-up, Lawyer for Dafonte Miller Holds Nothing Back    The Oshawa Express, August 23, 2017

Why bad cops usually get away with brutish behaviour: DiManno    Toronto Star, August 17, 2017

New complaint alleges police coverup in Dafonte Miller case   CBC, August 17, 2017

Toronto, Durham police accused of covering up Dafonte Miller assault case Toronto Star, August 17, 2017

Civilian agency asked to investigate after officer charged in Dafonte Miller beating    City News, August 16, 2017

Civilian oversight agency asked to investigate after Toronto officer charged in Dafonte Miller assault   The Star, August 16, 2017

Lawyer alleges that father of cop charged in Miller case interfered with investigation   CP24, August 16, 2017

La province priée de mettre en oeuvre les recommandations du rapport Tulloch  CBC, August 16, 2017

Video Links

Dafonte Millers lawyer, Julian Falconer, asking civilian agency to investigate 2 Ontario police forces    City News, August 16, 2017

Julian Falconer, lawyer for Dafonte Miller, alleges that father of cop charged in Miller case interfered with investigation   CP24 August 16, 2017

Related Documents

Media Advisory: Police Oversight Statement. August 16, 2017

Press Release: Police Oversight Statement. August 16, 2017

Dafonte Miller Schedule A to the Complaint. August 16, 2017

Dafonte Miller Schedule B to the Complaint (DRPS). August 16, 2017

Report of the Independent Police Oversight Review The Honourable Michael H. Tulloch

ODHAVJI c. WOODHOUSE

WOOD c. SCHAEFFER

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