Lawyer alleges Durham police slammed her head into table, physically dragged her to cells inside Oshawa courthouse
Sudine Riley “committed no offence other than being a Black woman practising law,” reads a statement from her lawyer.
By Jacques GallantCourts and Justice Reporter
A defence lawyer is alleging that Durham police officers violently assaulted her, ripped off her headscarf and took her to the cells in handcuffs at the Oshawa courthouse last Friday.
A statement issued Monday says Sudine Riley had just finished up a trial late Friday afternoon and was catching up on legal work in an interview room near the courtroom when uniformed Durham officers, working as security, “challenged her presence” in the room.
“Ms. Riley’s head was then slammed on the desk and officers put knees in her back and neck. She was spoken to with rage, disrespect, and contempt by officers,” says the statement issued by Riley’s lawyer, Neha Chugh.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Defence lawyer Sudine Riley. Supplied
“She was forcibly removed from that room and was dragged out of the room, handcuffed, and then taken to cells in the basement of the courthouse. Her head scarf was ripped off, her skirt was raised when she was handled by officers, and her head was bleeding and her eye swollen from being slammed into the desk.”
The statement goes on to say that Riley “committed no offence other than being a Black woman practising law, being diligent about her commitment to the pursuit of justice. Ms. Riley is a proud member of the criminal defence bar in Ontario. She is a petite Black woman who wears a head scarf.
“She was handled violently and aggressively by members of police services. She is taking time to rest and heal while she considers her next legal steps.”
Durham regional police confirmed to the Star that they are investigating an incident that occurred at the courthouse on Friday around 5 p.m., though did not provide further details.
“Our investigators are working closely with court services to obtain and thoroughly review all available evidence related to this incident,” the force said in a statement.
“The allegations arising from this matter are being taken with the utmost seriousness. DRPS has assigned the appropriate investigative and oversight resources to fully understand the circumstances and determine what further actions may be required.”
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
The incident has prompted concerns about the safety of lawyers and others who work in the Oshawa courthouse. Those concerns are outlined in a letter sent Sunday to Ontario Court Justice Lara Crawford, the local administrative judge at the courthouse, from the advocacy organization Women in Canadian Criminal Defence (WiCCD), which has nearly 800 members across the country.
“WiCCD members are understandably deeply concerned for their own safety in the Oshawa courthouse,” wrote organization president Cassandra DeMelo. “Many, if not most, of our members are racialized women who represent accused persons and many of our members do so at that courthouse.”
DeMelo asked Crawford to provide assurances that necessary measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the organization’s members working in the courthouse.
“We are taking this unprecedented step in contacting Your Honour directly because of the urgency of the situation and our members’ expressed concerns,” DeMelo wrote.
“We do also recognize that all justice system participants who work in the Oshawa courthouse have a direct and substantial interest in the issue and may also be fearful at this time.”
Jacques Gallant is a Toronto-based reporter covering courts, justice and legal affairs for the Star. Reach him by email at jgallant@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @JacquesGallant
anitaszigeti 