Witnesses testify in trial for Toronto cop and brother accused of assaulting Dafonte Miller

A witness told a courtroom on Monday that he and a black teen who was allegedly beaten by two brothers, one of whom is a Toronto police officer, were breaking into cars before the incident.

Bradley Good testified that he was with Dafonte Miller and a third man named Antonio Jack in the early hours of Dec. 28, 2016.

He told the court they were “car hopping,” a term he said is used for walking through neighbourhoods and breaking into cars. Good alleged that the group broke into nearly a dozen cars that night and that it was Miller’s idea.

Good said that while Miller and Jack were breaking into a pickup truck, a garage door opened and two men began to chase them. However, Good told the court he could not identify the men who pursued Miller and Jack as he had run in another direction.

The crown claims that Miller was punched and hit with a four foot long pipe by the two accused. His left eye was knocked out of its socket and split into four, Miller’s lawyers claimed. He also sustained a broken nose, orbital bone and bruised ribs.

Miller was arrested that night, but the charges were later dropped.

Last week, a police officer who was called to investigate the incident testified that she saw Miller face down on the ground when she arrived at the scene.

"There was a quantity of blood coming from his left eye, it appeared to me to be a significant injury," Durham Regional Police Service Const. Jennifer Bowler said.

"It made me a little queasy," she said.

Michael Theriault, a Toronto police constable who was off duty at the time, and his brother Christian Theriault, were jointly charged with aggravated assault in connection with Miller’s beating. They have also been charged with obstruction of justice.

Both accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Jack also testified on Monday but denied the three colleagues were breaking into vehicles.

He told the court that the three of them were going to a friend’s house to buy marijuana. He also testified they were attacked for no reason.

“One male was holding a silver....it looked like a pole. I saw two white males run toward Dafonte,”Jack told the court.

Jack, 21, is currently serving jail time for possession of a firearm in an unrelated matter. He was brought to the Oshawa courthouse to testify.

Miller is expected to take the stand on Tuesday.

With files from the Canadian Press.