Canadian judgement

In May, 2007, Darius Tierman, a Toronto police officer on medical leave, was caught on tape attacking a cyclist after an argument on Queen Street. But, in a decision that escaped public attention last December, an Ontario judge found Mr. Tierman not guilty of assault, despite video showing him punching the cyclist three times. Justice John Ritchie said in his decision that Mr. Tierman was defending himself and his vehicle from the cyclist, who was going to use his bike as a weapon. Mr. Sokol testified the attack came unprovoked after Mr. Tierman’s vehicle rubbed his bike.

[Somehow I doubt that the cyclist said the car driver rubbed his bike. I imagine he said the driver hit it.]

Justice Ritchie determined Mr. Sokol deliberately blocked the defendant’s vehicle partway into the intersection of Queen and Bay streets, parking his bike and refusing to move it.

[As you might well do after a yob driver has crashed into you.]

Mr. Sokol threatened twice to throw his bicycle on Mr. Tierman’s car if he tried to move it. Mr. Tierman kicked the bicycle, at which point Mr. Sokol picked it up with the intention of throwing it at the car. Mr. Tierman stopped the attack by punching Mr. Sokol three times, knocking out his tooth.

Or to look at it another way, a yob driver hit a cyclist, kicked his bicycle and then punched him three times, and a car supremacist judge let a violent and aggressive cop off the hook.