Asshole Cop Forcillo - Jury Deliberates - Update

Thursday, January 21, 2016. Constable James Forcillo’s unusual reliance on his firearm brought him to the attention of a Toronto Police early warning system the year before he fatally shot Sammy Yatim on a downtown streetcar. Forcillo testified that he pulled his weapon about 12 times in three-and-a-half years on the job. But he said that only one of those 12 suspects actually had turned out to be armed. Sources familiar with policing say that resorting to a firearm so often may be indicative of an officer who is either aggressive or fearful. Many officers go an entire career without ever drawing their guns. An officer’s internal record is presumptively inadmissible at trial, and in fact, prosecutors never tried to have any of this information go before the jurors. Jurors in the case retired Wednesday to deliberate their verdict. http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/christie-blatchford-forcillos-use-of-gun-brought-triggered-police-review-a-year-before-fatal-shooting

The lawyer for a Toronto Police officer on trial for killing a teen on an empty streetcar asked a jury to acquit the man, saying Tuesday that the prosecution in the case was trying to "criminalize a judgment call" made by a first responder. Const. James Forcillo has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder in the shooting of 18-year-old Sammy Yatim, whose death triggered outrage across the city 2 1/2 years ago. As the trial nears its end, Forcillo's lawyer cautioned the jury that the case needs to be decided not out of sympathy for any party, but on the evidence heard at trial. "Officer James Forcillo is not guilty of murder, attempted murder or any other criminal offence," Peter Brauti said in his closing address. "What the prosecution is really trying to do is criminalize a judgment call." Const. James Forcillo