Closing arguments set in Zameer trial
Defence asking jury to fully acquit man accused of intentionally killing police constable in 2021
Lawyers are set to deliver their final addresses to a jury Wednesday in the case of Umar Zameer, who is on trial for first-degree murder in the July 2, 2021 death of Toronto police Const. Jeffrey Northrup in the parking garage below Nathan Phillips Square.
Because he called evidence, defence lawyer Nader Hasan will go first. He will ask jurors to acquit his client of not just murder, but of any crime, arguing the Crown has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Zameer knew Northrup was a police officer dressed in plain clothes, and that he had no intent to kill him or anyone else that night.
Last week, Zameer, 34, testified he was inside his BMW with his pregnant wife and two-year-old son when a man and woman aggressively approached their vehicle, causing him to drive forward to escape. When he did that, a dark police van with tinted windows blocked his path, leading him to fear he was being ambushed by criminals.
His wife, Aaida Shaikh, 34, testified she also panicked, aware that it was just a month after the quadruple murder of family in London, Ont., who were run over because they were Muslim.
As they tried to flee, Northrup was struck and knocked to the ground and run over by Zameer’s BMW.
During cross-examination, Crown attorney Karen Simone suggested Northrup was in front of Zameer’s car, and that he drove over him, dragging his body for 6.7 metres.
Zameer said repeatedly he would not have struck someone head-on, and when his car went up and down over Northrup, he thought he was driving over a speed bump.
Key issues for the jury are whether Zameer knew he was being approached by police, and if he intended to hit Northrup.
The Crown’s position is that Zameer intentionally ran Northrup down; the jury would need to accept that argument in order to find Zameer guilty of murder.
Once the closing addresses are finished, Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy plans to begin giving jurors her legal instructions that will outline the offences they might convict him of.
Although the murder of a police officer is treated as first-degree murder under the Criminal Code, the question of whether Zameer knew Northrup was an officer means the jury can consider lesser charges. These include second-degree murder — if they find Zameer had the intent to kill, but didn’t know Northrup was an officer — or manslaughter — if they find he committed an unlawful act that caused Northrup’s death, but didn’t intend to kill him.