Pubdate: Wed, 25 Jan 2012
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Peter Small

EX-DRUG DEALER DENIES THAT MONEY MOTIVATES HIS POLICE BRUTALITY CLAIMS

A one-time marijuana dealer who claims Toronto drug squad officers 
savagely assaulted him and stole his money denies his testimony is 
motivated by a $650,000 lawsuit.

Defence lawyer Harry Black lawyer suggested Wednesday that 
Christopher Quigley is hoping that if he "can just persuade this 
jury" one or more officers beat him up and robbed him, he'll get a 
"huge amount" of money in a civil suit he has filed.

"Absolutely not, I'm just here to tell the truth, sir," Quigley, 46, 
told the corruption trial of five former drug squad officers.

"I'll bet when you put your head down on the pillow at night, you're 
not counting sheep, you're counting zeros," charged Black, lawyer for 
former Team 3 drug squad member Steve Correia.

"No," Quigley replied. "I would like the money that was stolen from 
me returned, however."

Quigley alleges Correia and Det. John Schertzer searched his mother's 
safety deposit box on May 1, 1998, seized the $54,000 in his cash it 
contained, but only returned $22,850, pocketing the rest.

Quigley is in his sixth day on the stand at the Ontario Superior 
Court trial of Correia, 44, Schertzer, 54, Raymond Pollard, 47, Ned 
Maodus, 48, and Joseph Miched, 53.

The former Central Field Command drug squad officers collectively 
face 29 charges, laid in January 2004, including attempt to obstruct 
justice, perjury, assault and extortion related to events between 
1997 and 2002.

Quigley claims that in the spring of 1998 he thought he was going to 
die as drug squad officers kicked, punched and choked him unconscious 
in a police station while angrily demanding the whereabouts of his 
drugs and money.

Black suggested Wednesday that Correia never threatened him.

Quigley replied that Correia did threaten him by telling him if he 
didn't co-operate in the police interrogation, he would send "goons" 
back to resume the beating.

Black suggested he is prone to violence, and that in 1994 he slapped 
his then-girlfriend in her right eye during a dispute and knocked her 
to the floor of their apartment.

"Did she start cry?" Black asked. "Did you grab a pillow and put it 
over her face so the neighbours would not hear her scream?" Quigley 
denied any assault occurred.

Quigley agreed he and his girlfriend argued and police were called, 
but denied an officer's report of bruising, cuts or swelling to her 
eye. He said she came to court and admitted her assault claim was a 
lie and the case was thrown out.

Black also read from a police statement alleging Quigley had on 
another occasion put a knife to her throat and threatened her and her 
family's lives.

"That's an absolute lie," Quigley said.

Black noted that Quigley was driving his Corvette in 1994 when police 
boxed him in and arrested him and another man at gunpoint.

Quigley agreed it happened and that police found a high-powered 
handgun hidden in his car by his friend and passenger, Ian Serieaux, 
but he insisted he didn't know about the weapon until they were stopped.

Quigley said police believed him when he said he had no idea the 
.44-calibre Magnum Desert Eagle pistol was in the car. "They checked 
it out and they let me go," he said.

The trial, presided over by Justice Gladys Pardu, is expected to 
continue into the summer.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom