Premier Doug Ford said Tuesday he was working with “limited information” when he controversially denounced a 2021 decision to release Umar Zameer on bail, declining to say whether he regrets commenting at the time.
Zameer was acquitted by a jury Sundayof all charges in the death of Toronto police Const. Jeffrey Northrup, who Zameer accidentally struck with his car in the parking lot below Nathan Phillips Square in July 2021.
When he was released on bail in September 2021 pending his first-degree murder trial, the evidence and reasons for the decision were covered by a standard publication ban meant to protect an accused person’s right to a fair trial. The ban was lifted when Zameer’s criminal case concluded Sunday, allowing journalists to report for the first time that the judge found the Crown’s case for murder to be weak.
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“This is beyond comprehension,” Ford tweeted when Zameer was granted bail. “It’s completely unacceptable that the person charged for this heinous crime is now out on bail. Our justice system needs to get its act together and start putting victims and their families ahead of criminals.”
On Tuesday, Ford declined to say when asked by reporters whether he regrets making those remarks or would apologize.
“At that time, I had limited information. The courts have decided, the jury decided, and we have to respect the justice system,” Ford said, adding his heart goes out to Northrup’s widow and family.
“It’s a very sad situation that happened, and I respect the court’s decision ... It’s a very sad situation, guys, so I just want to focus moving forward on the economy, creating jobs.”
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(A publication ban does not prevent any member of the public — including politicians, their staff or members of the media — from going to a courthouse and reading a judge’s decision.)
Other politicians also condemned the bail decision at the time, with then-Toronto Mayor John Tory saying it was “almost impossible to imagine a circumstance in which an accused in a case of first-degree murder would be granted bail,” while Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown called the decision “disgusting” and “very disturbing.”
Jacques Gallant is a Toronto-based reporter for the Star covering legal affairs and courts, after previously covering federal politics. He has been part of reporting teams nominated for a National Newspaper Award and the Michener Award for public service journalism.
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