‘I wasn't really feeling anything anymore. I was pretty much just watching it’
The highly anticipated trial of a young black man who was allegedly beaten by a cop and his brother has begun.
The trial originally began on Oct. 29 by the judge alone, but it is day two for Dafonte Miller, 21, appearing in court on Wednesday to testify for the first time against a Toronto officer and his brother. This is after the then 19 years old was brutally beaten by Toronto police officer Michael Theriault and his brother Christian Theriault in 2016.
The two brothers are charged with one count each of aggravated assault, and obstructing justice for how they portrayed the incident to investigators. However, they pleaded not-guilty.
This attack left Miller with a damaged eye that was surgically removed, a broken jaw, orbital bone, nose, jaw, and wrist.
Miller originally was expected to testify on Tuesday at the Ontario Supreme Court. But due to the proceedings taking longer than planned, his testimony was pushed back to Wednesday.
During his testimony, Miller said Theriault’s confronted him and two of Miller’s other friends on Erickson Drive, near the two brothers’ home. Michael Theriault, who was off-duty at the time, identified himself as a police officer and demanded that Miller and his friends answered questions about what they were doing in the area.
Miller then declared that him and his two friends were running from the two brothers. He claimed that his two friends managed to escape, but Miller was then beaten, and put in a headlock by Christian Theriault, and later on was beaten with a metal pipe.
This is an ongoing SIU investigation. Court proceedings will continue for approximately three weeks.
Written by: Farah Chandani
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