Officers acquitted in Vass death
A jury has found four Toronto Police officers not guilty of manslaughter in the death of Otto Vass.
The verdict was delivered in a downtown courtroom Wednesday morning, after a day of deliberations by the jury.
The verdict was announced to a packed courtroom and prompted sobs from members of Vass's family.
The 55-year-old died in Aug. 2000 following a struggle with Toronto Police officers outside a convenience store in the west end.
- FROM AUG. 9, 2003: Man dies at convenience store
An autopsy later concluded that he died of a fat embolism that was released in his body during the confrontation.
The case against the four officers, Constables Philip Duncan, Filippo Bevilacqua, Nam Le and Robert LeMaitre, began in September with damning evidence from the Vass family lawyer.
The jury was presented with videotape of the man being dragged by police and graphic pictures of his bruised and bloody body.
- FROM SEPT. 18, 2003: Pictures show Vass cut, bruised
Later lawyers representing the police portrayed Vass as a violent man who had struggled with mental illness for nearly four decades.
- FROM OCT. 17, 2003: Vass had violent history, trial hears
Chief Julian Fantino told reporters outside the courtroom that he was relieved about the non-guilty decison and said the officers would return to the jobs shortly.
"It's an outcome we were were all hoping for and we're glad it turned out this way," he said. "Their families have gone through three years of hell at the end of the day justice prevailed."
While the four officers are now cleared of all criminal charges, their legal problems are not over.
Vass's family has filed a multi-million dollar civil lawsuit against the officers and the police force.