Watch video above: Preliminary hearing begins for police officer charged with murder. Sean Mallen reports.
TORONTO – An inquiry begins today into a Toronto police officer charged with the second degree murder of Sammy Yatim.
Police Constable James Forcillo is accused of gunning down 18-year-old Yatim aboard a Toronto streetcar in July of last year.
The incident was captured on surveillance and cellphone video on which nine shots can be heard following shouts for Yatim to drop a knife.
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The preliminary inquiry will determine if there is enough evidence to move forward with the charges against Forcillo.
Mike McCormack, president of the Toronto Police Association, said outside the courtroom Tuesday that Forcillo was devastated.
“This is a very traumatic incident, not only for the Yatim family but also for Officer Forcillo,” he said.
“We think that the evidence is going to present a way more fulsome and quite a different picture than was originally presented the night that this happened.”
WATCH: Mike McCormack believes evidence in the Sammy Yatim shooting case will exonerate constable James Forcillo
Toronto’s police chief has appointed retired Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci to conduct a sweeping review of use-of-force policies.
READ MORE: Why officer in Yatim shooting was charged with second-degree murder
The preliminary hearing is scheduled to run through May 9 and then continue from June 16 to 20.
With files from The Canadian Press
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