[news] Toronto man sues police, says video shows beating

[ron]

this is the second story to come out in just over 2 months where toronto 
cops were caught on video beating someone.


Toronto man sues police, says video shows beating
Last Updated Wed, 18 Feb 2004 21:21:25
CBC News

TORONTO - A Toronto man who claims he was beaten unconscious by police 
officers is suing the city's police force, saying a video tape of the 
incident will support his case.

The video tape, released by Kenneth Wood on Wednesday, shows several 
officers restraining Wood and hitting him with a baton until he collapses.

Wood says he gets angrier every time he sees the video.

"This thing was on national TV…my daughter saw it, my elderly father saw 
it, my family saw it," said Wood. "For all they knew I was dead on the 
street and it caused a lot of scare and grief for a lot of people."

Wood was at an anti-poverty demonstration in downtown Toronto in October 
2001. He claims he was helping an elderly motorist get through the crowd 
when police came at him. He says he remembers being beaten and then 
blacked out.

"I don't think I was that terrified in my life as when that happened and 
it was totally unreal and totally unprovoked," said Wood.

He filed a complaint in 2001, and filed the $450,000 lawsuit after his 
lawyers obtained the video footage from news crews and other protesters.

Rick McIntosh, president of the Toronto Police Association, says the 
tape doesn't provide the whole story – whether Wood provoked police.

"Obviously the man is struggling and resisting officers and they used 
what force is necessary to protect themselves," said McIntosh.

Wood's lawyer Brian Shiller says what happened to Wood is not an 
isolated incident.

"Chief [Julien] Fantino is not in control of this police force. It is a 
police force out of control," said Shiller.

Fantino denies the allegations, saying abuse is not widespread.

"It's not rampant, it's not systemic and there are things we have to 
look into," said Fantino.