EC’s cross of Sgt Pravica Quoted in this Star piece by Wendy Gillis on Jan 19, 2024 here:
Sgt. Dusan Pravica, a nearly 30-year veteran of the Toronto police, told jurors at an ongoing coroner’s inquest that in the seconds before he fired his Taser, Yatim still had a switchblade “firmly in his grasp” and “refused or declined” officers’ demands to drop it.
“But as I as it turns out, officer, Sammy wasn’t refusing or declining. He was dying,” said Hannah Wilson, articling student with the Empowerment Council, an organization representing people with mental health challenges that has standing at the inquest. “Isn’t that right?”
• Called to the Bar (1992)
• U of T Law grad (1990)
• Sole practitioner (33 years)
• Partner in small law firm (Hiltz Szigeti) 2002 - 2013
• Mom to two astonishing kids, Scarlett (20+) and Sebastian (20-)
• (Founding) Chair of Mental Health Legal Committee for ten years (1997 to 2007)
* Founding President of Law and Mental Disorder Association - LAMDA since 2017
* Founder and Secretary to Women in Canadian Criminal Defence - WiCCD - since 2022
• Counsel to clients with serious mental health issues before administrative tribunals and on appeals
• Former Chair, current member of LAO’s mental health law advisory committee
• Educator, lecturer, widely published author (including 5 text books on consent and capacity law, Canadian civil mental health law, the criminal law of mental disorder, a law school casebook and a massive Anthology on all things mental health and the law)
• Thirty+ years’ experience as counsel to almost exclusively legally aided clients
• Frequently appointed amicus curiae
• Fearless advocate
• Not entirely humourless
anitaszigeti 