The Quebec Police Ethics Commission hearing continues into the conduct of the former Montreal police officer known as Officer 728 during an alleged violent arrest in 2012. The key witness has wrapped up his testimony and other witnesses have taken the stand.
Stéfanie Trudeau and her ex-partner, Constantinos Samaras are accused of various breaches of the police ethics code in connection with an arrest in the Plateau Mont-Royal in May 2012.
Julian Menezes had testified Trudeau treated and spoke to him abusively, that she and her partner used execessive force arresting him and then took him on a so-called "starlight tour" - driving him a long distance away and dumping him off with a ticket for obstruction.
Menezes testified he and his friends were giving moral support to a young cyclist being ticketed by Trudeau and her partner.
Menezes testified the cyclist was sporting a red square, the symbol of the student protest movement at the time. Menezes testified Trudeau referred to it while giving the ticket.
Upon cross examination this morning, Trudeau's lawyer grilled Menezes suggesting his client and her partner repeatedly told him if he identified himself, he'd be released but that he refused. The defence lawyer also suggested Menezes misheard certain statements taken as racial slurs.
Menezes told reporters he's glad he finally testified.
"That all of the violence, the aggression, the racial slurs, the sexual slurs that were made, that that is on record and at least we can start to begin to recognize that this is part of a systematic violence," said Menezes.
Julian Menezes says it was important to tell his side of the story of the incident involving Officer 728. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/QGCOjuVIf7
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) July 20, 2017
The hearing continues tomorrow.
Samaras will have a separate hearing for his role in the alleged affair including failing to intervene.
Trudeau left the police force in 2015.
Trudeau was found guilty last year of assaulting a Plateau resident and using excessive force in October 2012 during a heavy-handed arrest caught on video that went viral.
Trudeau was given a one year suspended sentence and 60 hours of community service but she is appealing the conviction.
Julian Menezes says he's glad he was finally able to testify about his run-in with Officer 728. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/6e3YVahjT0
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) July 20, 2017