News Release

Charges not Warranted in Relation to Man’s Arrest in Espanola

Case Number: 20-PCI-042   

Mississauga, ON (28 September, 2020) ---
On February 23, 2020, a 25-year-old man suffered a devastating eye injury in the course of his arrest by OPP officers in Espanola. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an OPP officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injury.

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must

  • consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
  • depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
  • publicly report the results of its investigations

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