World News – CA – Toronto police officer sentenced to nine months for beating black man and blasting an eye

Canadian police officer who was accused of beating a black man and putting out his eye was sentenced to nine months in prison by Durham Regional Courthouse in Oshawa According to the Associated Press, Michael and his brother Christian Theriault hunted down Dafonte Miller in the early hours of December 28, 2016, wedging the black man between two houses, then beating him with a pipe until one of his eyes appeared

Constable Michael, who was off duty at the time of the incident, pleaded not guilty with his brother The court acquitted Christian but sentenced Michael to nine months for aggravated assault in June While Handing down the sentence, Judge Joseph Di Luca noted the racialized context in which the offense took place and said: « it cannot be ignored » Di Luca also announced some of the other restrictions he had placed on Michael with the nine month sentence

Di Luca sentenced Michael to 12 months probation after his prison term and also announced a five-year gun ban Prosecutors requested a 12-15 month sentence with the restrictions, while defense attorney requested that all charges be stayed

Previously, prosecutors read a statement from Miller in the courtroom in which he said the meeting with Michael and Christian had definitely changed his perspective on the police, adding that he had never suffered abuse of power to this degree « No one questioned him Only I was worthy of suspicion Because of the color of my skin, » Miller said in the statement

Sentencing, Constable, Toronto Police Department