OTTAWA — Closing arguments have begun in the trial of an Ottawa police officer charged with manslaughter in the fatal arrest of Abdirahman Abdi nearly four years ago.
The arguments were initially scheduled to be heard in April, but proceedings were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Crown and defence attorneys will be presenting their closing arguments via Zoom video conferencing over the next three days.
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Ottawa defence lawyer Michael Spratt, a partner at Abergel Goldstein & Partners, tells CTV Morning Live that the Crown is attempting to prove that Montsion’s actions that day killed Abdi.
“The Crown is alleging that Constable Montsion used unreasonable and excessive force in facilitating the arrest of Mr. Abdi. What they have to prove is that the violence that this police officer used was a substantial and contributing cause to Abdirahman Abdi’s death and they have to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt,” Spratt said. “They have to prove that that bodily harm was a significant reason why Mr. Abdi passed away.”
Spratt–who is not involved in this case–says there is heavy burden on the Crown, and that will be the focus of Montsion’s defense.
“They’re going to say that, beyond a reasonable doubt, it hasn’t been shown that that’s the case,” Spratt says. “They go a step farther. They say Constable Montsion was using reasonable force and they deflect a little bit and say that the injuries that Mr. Abdi suffered were delivered by another officer, [Const. Dave] Weir in this case.”
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ReadTed Raymond, Stefan Keyes, and Katie Griffin’s full article: CTV News
