Weeks before appeal, Crown defends verdict in case of Toronto cop who shot teen
TORONTO — Prosecutors say an Ontario judge was right to exclude evidence meant to suggest a troubled teen who was gunned down by a Toronto police officer four years ago was trying to commit “suicide by cop.”
The Crown is also defending the attempted murder conviction handed down to Const. James Forcillo in the death of 18-year-old Sammy Yatim, saying it was neither unreasonable nor inconsistent with the officer’s acquittal on second-degree murder.
The arguments were laid out in documents filed with the court two weeks before Forcillo is scheduled to appeal his conviction and sentence.
The officer, who is currently on bail pending the appeal, was sentenced to six years behind bars, a year more than the mandatory minimum.