Canada’s top court won’t hear appeal of off-duty cop convicted of assaulting Dafonte Miller

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.

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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.

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

2:02 Toronto police officer sentenced to 9 months in jail for assault of Dafonte Miller

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• TPS officer pleads not guilty to discreditable conduct
• Dafonte Miller rejects Toronto police apology
• Was justice served in the Dafonte Miller case?
• Chiefs of Toronto, Durham police services react to Michael Theriault conviction
• Toronto Police Chief Saunders says professional standards investigation among others to take place into Michael Theriault
• Dafonte Miller hopes to bring ‘awareness’ to cases of police brutality after officer convicted of assault
• Judgment day in case of Toronto officer and brother accused of assaulting Dafonte Miller

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