Umar Zameer’s lawyer, Nader Hasan, has voiced 'serious misgivings' about an upcoming report by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) into the conduct of Toronto officers involved in the 2021 death of Det. Const. Jeffrey Northrup.
Zameer, cleared of first-degree murder in April 2024, was charged after being accused of deliberately running over the officer in a downtown parking garage. The trial centered on whether he knew the victims were police and if he intended to strike them.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy hinted at collusion among three prosecution witnesses during her jury instructions, noting they all shared the same inaccurate memory about Northrup’s position.
Following the acquittal, Toronto police requested the OPP conduct an independent review. However, Zameer and his legal team were never informed of the investigation’s scope, process, or findings.
Hasan criticized the choice of another police agency to oversee the inquiry, calling it a 'curious choice.' He expressed skepticism that the review was conducted in good faith.
Zameer said he and his family simply want to move forward with their lives, but hoped Toronto Police would learn from past errors.