Tense cross-examination of former cop at inquest into 2016 death of Ottawa man

By The Canadian Press on November 21, 2024.

OTTAWA – A former police officer involved in the case of an Ottawa man who died after a violent arrest and the lawyer representing the man’s family had several testy exchanges today at a coroner’s inquest into the death.

Former Const. David Weir is among those testifying at the inquest examining the circumstances of 38-year-old Abdirahman Abdi’s July 2016 death.

Abdi died after police responded to a 911 call reporting that a man was groping women outside a coffee shop in Ottawa’s Hintonburg neighbourhood.

The inquest has heard that Abdi appeared to be in a mental health crisis at the time.

Lawrence Greenspon, the lawyer for Abdi’s family, and Weir clashed over descriptions of that day’s events during Greenspon’s cross-examination, with the presiding coroner warning Weir to refrain from arguing.

At one point, Weir accused the lawyer of trivializing what he experienced, with Greenspon denying that claim.

Weir also disputed Greenspon’s assertion that he didn’t try to de-escalate the situation during Abdi’s arrest.

Weir said his commands to Abdi were “not an effort to de-escalate, not an effort to escalate “¦ they were a clear, concise order.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

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