April 30, 2018
For Immediate Release

Brantford – The Ontario Court of Appeal will release its decision Monday, April 30, on an appeal by Toronto Police Services Constable James Forcillo of his attempted murder conviction in the 2013 death of Sammy Yatim. The following Laurier experts are available to comment on various dimensions of this case, including use of video evidence, the nexus between mental illness and community safety, and police training.

Patrick Watson, a professor in Laurier’s Criminology department, studies the handling of evidence – particularly video evidence – in official circumstances such as courts of law and military proceedings. He has specifically researched the use of video evidence in police-involved shootings, including the Yatim case. Contact: pwatson@wlu.ca

Jennifer Lavoie, professor and chair of Laurier’s Department of Criminology, specializes in criminological issues that involve people living with mental illness. She researches the nexus between mental illness and community safety, and is lead investigator on an initiative that examines police service encounters with people living with mental illness. Contact: jlavoie@wlu.ca

Scott Blandford, assistant professor and program coordinator for Laurier’s Bachelor of Arts in Policing program and graduate coordinator for the Master of Public Safety program, is a retired police officer with 30 years of service, including tactical experience. He is an expert in police training and organizational development issues. Contact: sblandford@wlu.ca