90 days in jail for police officer who broke prisoner

[iiinycboi]

This man is baaaaaaad.

He assaulted the prisoner and covered up his actions rather get him to hospital.
:shock::shock::shock:

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/a...l-for-police-officer-who-broke-prisoner-s-arm

A judge has sentenced a veteran Toronto police detective to 90 days in jail for beating up and breaking the arm of a man who was in police custody. Christopher Higgins, who was described by his superiors as a model officer, was also sentenced to a year’s probation by provincial court Justice Lucia Favret in front of a large group of his colleagues in a Finch Ave. W. courtroom Tuesday.
He showed no reaction as the sentence was read.

Noting that Higgins is considered a leader among officers, the judge found it an aggravating factor that he was leading a drug investigation when he assaulted the prisoner and covered up his actions rather get him to hospital.

“His callous disregard for the prisoner was the example he set that day,” Favret said. “He had a duty to ensure his safety.”
Police officers are entrusted with enormous power, and with that comes enormous responsibility toward the safety and security of prisoners, she said. “They are the first line of contact” for members of the public with the judicial system, and citizens deserve the assurance that they will act legally and with integrity, she said.
“Citizens expect police to respect the law, not be above the law,” she said.

In June, Favret found the former drug squad detective guilty of assault causing bodily harm to 50-year-old drug suspect, Gary Shuparski. It was the second trial in this case for the former drug squad officer who has remained on duty since he was charged in 2004.

Higgins was first acquitted in 2005, but the Crown appealed and a Superior Court judge ordered a new trial. In the first trial, the 120-pound prisoner testified that the hulking, 275-pound officer angrily; beat him and kicked him like a football after he made a snide remark in a 51 Division interview room on April 1 2004.

Shuparski has since died of a drug overdose. At a sentencing hearing in March, defence lawyer Gary Clewley called for a suspended sentence, telling the judge that a jail term would lead to the officer losing his job. Crown prosecutor John McInnes urged the judge to impose a jail term of three to six months, stating that no police officer is a “law onto himself.”

A Toronto police spokesperson has said dismissal for officers sentenced to jail is not automatic but depends on several factors, including whether they can fulfill their oath of office.

Higgins has also been charged with two police disciplinary infractions arising from the assault: unnecessary use of force against a prisoner and discreditable conduct. Penalties can range from loss of pay to dismissal.

Jailing police officers in Ontario for assaulting members of the public is rare.
One exception was the case of Toronto police Const. Roy Preston, who was caught on tape sucker-punching Said Jama Jama outside a Rexdale coffee shop in 2003.
Preston was convicted of assault and was ordered to serve a 30-day sentence after losing his appeal in 2007.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Was he getting paid when he was suspended?.

 

[saurav]

Yeah you just can't go around smacking scumbags whenever you feel like it.

Especially the 120lb ones.

 

[Stealth_Assasination]

Shuparski died of a drug overdose. The cop thought because he was a junkie the courts wouldn't give a damn.


WRONG!!

 

[crunchy momma]

First of all, how can you charge 1 person with three crimes over the same thing?

that's like killing someone then being found guilty of: murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree and manslaughter?

He wasn't suspended, the story states he was on duty until the trial.

WHile I agree, that the cops are not above the law, I'm of agreement that scumbags deserve a beat down once in awhile and (by the end result) the person in question was one. IMO he was human garbage from the sounds of it.

I kind of find it funny though that an officer can serve jail time yet not lose his job lol.....That's actually REALLY funny.

If the officer was such a model and was representative of everything a cop should be, you'd think there would have been some bargaining with the prosecutor going on......