Demonstrators protest as preliminary hearing set for officer, brother charged in Dafonte Miller case
Const. Michael Theriault and his brother, Christian Theriault, are charged with aggravated assault
A judge has set a date for a preliminary hearing in the case of a Toronto police officer and his brother accused of severely beating Dafonte Miller last year.
During a pre-trial hearing at the Durham Region courthouse Wednesday, it was decided the hearing will begin Feb. 20, 2018 and will continue until May 29. The hearing will be under a publication ban.
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Miller was chased down a street and allegedly beaten repeatedly with a steel pipe by Toronto police Const. Michael Theriault and his brother Christian Theriault in Whitby in the early morning hours of Dec. 28, 2016. Both men were charged by Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and public mischief.
Miller, then 19, suffered a broken nose, jaw and wrist and permanently lost sight in one eye as a result of the attack.
The case was was initially investigated by Durham Regional Police. The Toronto Police Service was informed of the incident, Chief Mark Saunders confirmed back in July, but neither Toronto nor Durham police notified the SIU.
Miller's lawyer contacted the province's police watchdog about the incident on April 27.
The Anti-Racist Network of Durham Region and Black Lives Matter Toronto protested outside the courthouse Wednesday, calling for an independent investigation into both the Durham and Toronto police.
Back in July, Toronto police announced Waterloo police would conduct an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault of Miller. Rajean Hoilett with the Anti-Racist Network of Durham Region said that's unacceptable.
"We do not believe police should be investigating police," Hoilett told CBC Toronto.
The groups are also calling for the SIU to be overhauled, as well as an apology to Miller and his family from both Durham and Toronto police.
"We are dismayed that such an important hearing, such an important process, is being dragged along. Community members are gathered here today wanting to see how the courts are going to handle this case," Hoilett said.
"We think it's important this is something that's prioritized, that we are being able to act and provide justice for Dafonte Miller and his family who have been waiting since Dec. 2016 to see something done."