A request made by Peel Regional Police to shield the identities of the officers involved in the 2020 death of Mississauga father Ejaz Choudry has been rejected by the courts.
In an Ontario Superior Court decision handed down on Monday, Justice Paul Perell ruled that granting a publication ban and an anonymity order in the civil proceedings would have “significant negative effects” on freedom of expression and open court principles.
“The whole of civil society has an interest in scrutinizing the administration of justice in a civil action that involves how that society is being policed,” Perell wrote in his decision. “Without knowing the names of the John Doe Officers, journalists and the public have no way of knowing whether any of them may have been involved in previous incidents, and whether there may be a systemic problem or an isolated incident.”
Choudry, who had schizophrenia, was fatally shot by police inside his Mississauga apartment on the evening of June 20, 2020 after his family reported he was amid a mental health crisis to the non-emergency line.
This is a developing story. More to come…