Human rights commission joins case of man who says Toronto police carded, then beat him

Lawyer Selwyn Pieters, a prominent black Canadian lawyer, brought Rohan Roberts's
case to the Human Rights Tribunal.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission is asking for Toronto police to make systemic changes and record race-based data, after intervening in the Human Rights Tribunal case of a black man who claims he was carded and then severely beaten.

Rohan Roberts, who lived in the Jane Street and Finch Avenue-area, was approached by police on Dec. 16, 2014, according to his lawyer Selwyn Pieters. Roberts was allegedly stopped by two police officers in a cruiser outside his apartment building at 1:30 a.m., was asked for identification and questioned about if he had any marijuana.

After running his name, the officers told Roberts he was free to go, Pieters said. As Roberts was walking away, he claims he said: “You guys always like to harass people.” Roberts claims police asked him what he said and if he threatened to “shoot you pussies.” Roberts was then allegedly rushed, handcuffed and dragged to a grassy area where Pieters said his client was repeatedly kicked and punched.

Pieters said Roberts was assaulted again inside the police cruiser when an officer purposefully slammed on the brakes and sent him crashing into the partition after he said what the officers had done was racist.

“He believes he was racially profiled,” Pieters said. “He believes this happened to him because of his race and where he lived.”

Police charged Roberts with assault with intent of resisting arrest and threatening death, but the charges were dropped.  (more...)

Human rights commission joins case of man who says Toronto police carded, then beat him