No grounds to charge Durham officers accused of assaulting lawyer, police say

Durham Regional Police announced that an investigation has concluded there are no grounds to lay criminal charges against officers accused of assaulting a lawyer at the Oshawa, Ontario, courthouse earlier this year. The findings stem from an investigation conducted by an external police service, York Regional Police.

The incident occurred on January 23, when lawyer Sudine Riley alleged that Durham officers assaulted her. According to a statement issued by her counsel, Riley claims uniformed officers slammed her head on a desk, placed their knees on her back and neck, and dragged her out of an interview room. She also alleged her headscarf was ripped off as she was taken to the courthouse cells, leaving her bleeding and swollen.

Riley, who is Black, has called for an independent investigation into the matter, a call echoed by the Criminal Lawyers' Association, a national legal organization. Despite the police service's conclusion regarding criminal charges, the matter has now been forwarded to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency. This agency will assess whether any misconduct by the officers took place, separate from the criminal investigation.

Riley's lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the police announcement. The Durham Regional Police East Division building was shown in Bowmanville, Ont., on March 15, 2025, in a photograph by The Canadian Press.