Like I always say, the police force is the single biggest corrupt gang in the world. I’ll never understand why they didn’t taser him as well…
A paraplegic man was pulled from his wheelchair by Peel police, dragged to a cruiser and charged with causing a disturbance because he had urged them to help a stabbing victim, a court heard yesterday.
“It was very violent,” recalled Stephen Miller, who witnessed the chaotic scene from just a few metres away as he tended to the victim by applying pressure to the stab wound.
Moments later, Miller said, he too was yanked away from the victim, an old high school friend, pulled into a cruiser and charged with the same offence.
Ontario Court Justice Peter Wilkie was told that on July 29, 2005, at about 6 p.m., police were called to a large building complex on Glen Erin Dr. in Mississauga after reports of a stabbing.
Miller, a 20-year-old political science student at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, said he had just finished work and stopped by the complex to see some friends. He was standing outside when he heard someone yell and saw his friend, Germaine Holder, collapse onto a bench.
“I immediately ran over and saw something red dripping — gushing, actually — and saw there was a wound to his abdomen,” Miller recounted to his lawyer, Jason Bogle. “I took off my T-shirt and applied pressure.”
As Miller pushed down on the wound, he called 911, recalling how he felt scared but tried to remain calm for his friend. But he said his fear intensified when he spotted the first officer on the scene, Const. Jason Sandilands.
Miller testified he and others from the complex, including Holder, have long had a “negative” relationship with Sandilands, who he said routinely harassed them by asking for identification for no apparent reason. Miller said he had even lodged a complaint against the officer but it didn’t go anywhere.
As his friend lay bleeding beneath him, Miller said he called over to Sandilands to come and help, but the officer was just “standing there, doing absolutely nothing.”
Moments later, Garrett Mannings, 24, who is paralyzed from the waist down, joined the small group of people forming near the victim.
Mannings, along with some of the other building residents, yelled at Sandilands to do something, but the officer simply replied, “Oh well, if he dies, he dies,” Miller testified.
“Sandilands took a step behind Mannings, took his shoulders and threw him to the floor,” Miller said, calling it an “aggressive” move. The two men struggled on the floor just metres from where Miller was with Holder.
Moments later a second officer arrived to help Sandilands. They “dragged” Mannings to a cruiser and returned to collect his wheelchair, said Miller, who watched the events unfold as he continued to be the only one tending to Holder, who lay bleeding.
Suddenly, Miller said, he “felt someone very strong grab my arm that was on the wound and pull my legs.” Seconds later, he said, he was carted off to a cruiser by a third officer.
He said he sat in the car and watched Holder continue to bleed. No one else touched him until the paramedics arrived on the scene about two minutes later, he said.
Court has already heard testimony from the arresting officers. Sandilands testified he gently tipped over Mannings’ wheelchair because the accused was swearing and flailing his arms.
Another officer testified Miller was arrested because he was yelling in the officer’s face.
Crown attorney Darilynn Allison has finished her case, but the defence might call Mannings to the stand.
If found guilty of causing a disturbance, Mannings and Miller could face up to six months in jail.
The trial is scheduled to resume Monday at the courthouse in Brampton.
April 30th, 2007 at 12:25 am
So, what was the outcome?
December 28th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Both Garrett Mannings and myself (Stephen Miller) were found not guilty by Justice Wilkie. The subsequent investigation into the actions of the police (conducted by Peel Regional Police) led nowhere. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing as we failed to establish that the officer acted “violently.”
July 5th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Const. Jason Sandilands (soon to be EX-constable) from the Peel Regional Police is now charged with THEFT UNDER.
From the Toronto Sun, July 5th/08:
“On the heels of the shocking news that Toronto Police had discovered two allegedly dirty cops in their ranks, Peel police admit one of their officers is also facing charges on an un related matter.
The officer was actually arrested May 16 following an investigation by their Internal Affairs Bureau, but Peel police only announced the arrest yesterday.
Const. Jason Sandilands, who has been on the force for four years, is charged with theft under $5,000 and breach of trust, Acting Staff-Sgt. Taufic Saliba said.
SUSPENDED WITH PAY
He said the charges stem from the accused’s involvement in an investigation that took place while he was assigned to the Tactical and Rescue Unit.
“The property involved … was money,” Saliba said, refusing to elaborate.
Like Toronto Consts. Patrick Lee and Kevin Bourne, who are accused of operating dozens of mari juana grow-ops, Sandilands has been suspended with pay.
He is to appear in a Brampton court on July 9.
Sandilands was in the news in 2005 when he was the first officer to arrive at the scene of a stabbing and ended up in an altercation with two Mississauga men — one of whom is in a wheelchair — who were helping the stabbed man.
‘ABHORRENT’
Stephen Miller, 20, and his pal Garrett Mannings, 24, who is paralyzed from the waist down, ended up charged with causing a disturbance. Both were found not guilty in 2006.
At their trial, Miller claimed he pleaded unsuccessfully with Sandilands to help him as he tried to stop his friend’s bleeding.
Lawyer Jason Bogle, who defended the pair, said something should have alerted Peel police a long time ago. “They were asking him to assist a dying man and officer Sandilands would not,” Bogle alleged. ‘That was abhorrent.’ ”
Comment: With this guy’s previously noted callous attitude, the question must be asked is – why was Sandilands not ‘red-flagged’ long before he was allowed to put on a uniform?
Was this guy given special considerations, per chance?