Toronto police won't review handling of Dafonte Miller case until after trial

Toronto police won't review theirhandling of the Dafonte Miller case until after the court is finished dealing with criminal charges against apolice officer and his brother in the alleged beating of a young black man, says the city's police chief.

Mark Saunders told reporters after the Toronto Police Services Board meeting on Wednesday that the force has been asked by the Crown to delay an internalreview until after the trial involving Const. Michael Theriaultand his younger brother Christian Theriault.

"Well, usually the criminal courts precede anything else and I don't see that changing. And in fact, I believe the Crown attorneys have asked, you know,let the case finish in the courtroom before moving toward the administrative review," Saunders said.

A group protesting againstwhat they see as inaction on the case interrupted and briefly shut down theservices board meeting on Wednesday.

The brothers have been charged withaggravated assault, assault with a weapon and public mischiefin the beating of Miller, then 19, in Whitby onDec. 28, 2016.

Miller was allegedly struck with a metal pipe. His left eye was badly damaged and had to be surgically removed. He also suffered a broken nose, jaw and wrist as well as bruised ribs, along withsevere psychological and emotional distress, his lawyer said.

Saunders said "there are two very different stories as to what went on that day" and he looks forward to the court case because he said the trial"will present the most truthful component as to what happened."

Saunders noted that the Waterloo Regional Police Service was asked to conduct an internal review of the Toronto Police Service followingcriticism over thehandling of the case.

Ontario's Special Investigations Unitwas not notified about the assaultuntil April 27, 2017 and it was notified by Miller's lawyerJulian Falconer, not the Toronto Police Service.

The SIUis an arm's-length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.

Saunders declined to say if the Waterloopolice havefinished theirreview.

"Anything that they can see with us when it comes to procedure or policy change or training, or any of those things, we definitely will look forward to and seeing what we can do to improve anything that we need to improve on," Saunders said.