Const. James Forcillo arrives for his verdict at court in Toronto on Jan. 25. Forcillo was found guilty of attempted murder in the shooting death of Sammy Yatim.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Toronto Constable James Forcillo has been convicted of attempted murder Monday in the death of Sammy Yatim. The officer was found not guilty of the more serious charge of second-degree murder. Police charged with murder or manslaughter in Canada, for deaths in the line of duty, in the past 35 years:
August, 1979 – Albert Johnson, a 35-year-old Jamaican immigrant who was known to police and suffered from mental-health issues, was shot dead in his Toronto home. Officers Walter Cargnelli and William Inglis were charged with manslaughter and both were acquitted.
July, 1980 – Earle Hollett died from injuries suffered in a confrontation with police on a bridge between Halifax and Dartmouth. Constables David Cluett and Harry O'Donnell were charged with second-degree murder. Mr. Cluett was acquitted, which was upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. O'Donnell was convicted of manslaughter and ultimately received a three-year sentence.
August, 1988 – Lester Donaldson, 44, who was previously diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia, was shot and killed while armed with a small paring knife, in a confrontation with police at his rooming house. Toronto police constable David Deviney was charged with manslaughter and acquitted at trial.
December, 1988 – Michael Wade Lawson, 17, was shot in the back of the head and killed in an incident with police related to a stolen car. Peel Regional Police officer Anthony Melaragni was charged with second-degree murder and his colleague Darren Longpre was charged with aggravated assault. They were acquitted in 1992 by a jury of all charges.
June, 1996 – Faraz Suleman, 16, was shot to death in a confrontation with police over suspected car-jackings. York Region police officer Robert Wiche was charged with manslaughter. The charge was thrown out after a preliminary hearing.
March, 1997 – Hugh Dawson, 31, was shot several times and killed in his car during a drug takedown. Undercover drug-squad officer Constable Rick Shank was charged with manslaughter, by then-Special Investigations Unit director André Marin. The first trial ended in a hung jury. The officer was acquitted at the second trial and continues to be a Toronto police officer.
December, 1998 – Tony Romagnuolo, 44, was shot to death at his home northeast of Toronto during a dispute with police over the arrest of one of his sons. York Region police officer Randy Martin was charged with second-degree murder, and Constable Mike Hoskin with weapons-related charges, as was Durham Region police Constable Al Robins. The officers were acquitted of all charges.
October, 1999 – Darren Varley was fatally shot in a jail cell in Pincher Creek Alta., after an arrest for drunkenness. After two hung juries, RCMP Constable Michael Ferguson was convicted of manslaughter at his third trial. The Supreme Court upheld a mandatory minimum sentence of four years, although Mr. Ferguson ultimately served two months in jail, before being granted parole as a result of time under house arrest.
August, 2000 – Otto Vass, 55, was beaten to death in a confrontation with four Toronto police officers (from 14 Division, the same unit where Toronto Constable James Forcillo worked). Mr. Vass suffered from schizophrenia. The officers were charged with manslaughter. They were all acquitted at trial.
September, 2010 – Eric Osawe, 26, was shot and killed during an Emergency Task Force raid of his apartment. Toronto police Constable David Cavanagh was charged with second-degree murder. The charge was thrown out by a provincial court judge after a preliminary hearing, a decision upheld on appeal.
November, 2012 – Mehrdad Bayrami was killed in a standoff with police outside a casino in New Westminster, B.C. Delta police officer Jordan MacWilliams was charged with second-degree murder, after a probe by the province's newly created Independent Investigations Office. The B.C. Criminal Justice Branch announced in July, 2015, that it was staying all criminal charges.
January, 2015 – Michel Vienneau was shot to death after his vehicle was stopped by police in New Brunswick. Constables Patrick Bulger and Mathieu Boudreau of the Bathurst City Police were later charged with manslaughter and other offences. Their first court appearance was earlier this month.
– Shannon Kari