By Canadian Press

Top court won’t hear appeal of off-duty cop convicted of assaulting Dafonte Miller

Dec 16, 2021 | 7:47 AM

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear the appeal of a Toronto police officer who was convicted of brutally assaulting a young Black man.

Michael Theriault was sentenced to nine months in jail in the beating of Dafonte Miller in December 2016.

Ontario’s highest court rejected Theriault’s appeal after finding no errors in the trial judge’s approach, prompting him to take his case to the Supreme Court.

During trial, prosecutors alleged Theriault and his brother chased Miller in the early hours of the morning and beat him with a metal pipe, leaving him with a ruptured eye and other injuries.

The defence, meanwhile, argued the brothers acted in self defence while trying to arrest Miller, who they said had been breaking into the family truck.

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The case spurred multiple protests against anti-Black racism and police discrimination.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2021.

The Canadian Press