Pubdate: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON) Copyright: 2008, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://torontosun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457 Author: Jonathan Jenkins COP CORRUPTION CASE DISMISSED Judge Cites 'Glacial' Pace Of Proceedings What was once dubbed the largest police corruption case in Canadian history fizzled out in a downtown courthouse yesterday as conspiracy, perjury and obstruction charges were stayed against six former Toronto police drug squad officers. "My client, John Schertzer, was extremely relieved that the proceedings have come to an end. It's been 10 years of hell," lawyer John Rosen said in an interview. "In some ways he's disappointed that he's never had an opportunity to face his accusers and be vindicated by a jury." Schertzer, Steve Correia, Joe Miched, Ned Maodus, Ray Pollard and Richard Benoit all walked out of court after Justice Ian Nordheimer granted a defence motion for dismissal on the basis of unreasonable delay, calling the pace of the proceedings against the six "glacial." "This is something people don't appreciate -- he and the other officers have been through a 10-year ordeal," Rosen said. "It has taken an enormous toll on them, personally, professionally, in their relationships, medically. It's just a sad state of affairs. "They did not get away with anything." Now retired, Schertzer was a staff-sergeant and team leader for the drug squad officers in the late 1990s. The six -- and other officers -- were first investigated by Toronto police's Internal Affairs in 1998 after an audit of the squad's informant fund. Criminal charges were first laid in 2000 but were stayed two years later. By then, former police chief Julian Fantino had called in RCMP Supt. John Neily to conduct a wider probe into allegations drug squad officers were assaulting and robbing drug dealers. In 2004, the conspiracy, obstruction and perjury charges were laid, but Rosen said even now he has yet to receive full disclosure from the Crown in the case. Peter Brauti, another defence lawyer on the case, told reporters outside court the case had dragged on far too long. "When this started I was in law school," he said. "It was an incredible amount of stress." Opposition politicians blamed the government for the collapse of the case, saying Premier Dalton McGuinty has failed to deal with packed courthouses. Attorney General Chris Bentley said he plans to roll out a number of initiatives over the next few months to address court backlogs. "For me, moving criminal cases through the justice system as quickly and effectively as possible is a key priority," Bentley said. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath