Hassan found not guilty in 2015 double-homicide

After four years in custody, jury acquits defendant who testified another man was lone shooter

A Toronto jury has acquitted Kamal Hassan of the 2015 murders of two men in a condo unit near Liberty Village, believing his testimony he re-enacted the shootings with the real killer in order to escape becoming his third victim. Hassan testified it was Kwasi Skene-Peters, 21, who shot Mohamed Dirie and Abdiweli Abdullahi, both 26, around 7 a.m. on June 28, 2015. SkenePeters died weeks later in a shootout with police trying to arrest him for the double murder.

Jurors deliberated for a day and a half before returning to court early Wednesday afternoon to announce they had found the 26-year-old not guilty of firstor second-degree murder.

After hearing the verdict, Hassan broke out into a wide smile while his mother, Jackie Kenadeed, jumped up and let out a joyous scream.

Superior Court Justice Michael Brown asked prosecutors if there was any reason to keep Hassan detained.

Hearing there was none, he told Hassan he was a free man after spending nearly four years in pretrial custody.

“I’m just shocked, I’m shell-shocked,” Hassan said after leaving the prisoner’s box and into the embrace of his mother and lawyers, Adele Monaco and Ashley Dresser.

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Hassan declined to say anything further.

“We are beyond elated,” said Monaco, adding she believed her client “from the word go.”

“Justice was served, justice was done, and the jury realized it and believed Mr. Hassan and gave him his freedom after four years.”

Hassan testified he was present at the short-term rental unit at 36 Lisgar St., near King St. W. and Dufferin St., when Skene-Peters killed the two men and then stole Dirie’s gold chain and watch.

A “nightmarish” situation unfolded, Hassan told the jury, when he fled the building followed closely behind by SkenePeters, whom he knew from his upbringing in the Jane St. and Driftwood Ave. area.

Hassan testified he was in “survival mode” following the murder and did everything Skene-Peters asked — includ- ing wiping down the car for fingerprints and blood — to convince him he was OK with what happened and that he wasn’t a rat.

“I wanted him to feel comfortable,” he told the jury.

Hassan added that was the reason an elevator surveillance camera captured him on video smiling, laughing and re-enacting the killings with Skene-Peters.

During his closing address last week, Crown attorney Dave Mitchell told the jury Hassan’s testimony was “pure nonsense” and he was “hoping and praying that you believe this acting story so that he can walk away from a double murder.”

Mitchell also summarized for jurors the things that “point against planned and deliberate murder,” such as the fact there was no motive, nor evidence Hassan knew Skene-Peters would be at the condo.

As well, why would Hassan bring witnesses — three girls — to a murder scene?

There was also no evidence of any ill feeling between Hassan and either deceased, Mitchell acknowledged.

“True. We don’t believe that Kamal Hassan came up with the plan,” Mitchell said.

“It is our position Kwasi Skene-Peters came up with the plan and wanted them dead for unknown reasons, and that he got Mr. Hassan to help him,”

The jury disagreed.