Two RCMP officers will be returning to the court this coming Wednesday to find out if they were unreasonable to strike a suspect 25 times during an arrest.
Const. Matthew McGuire, of Richmond RCMP, and Const. John Tsonos, from the Surrey detachment, were on trial for allegedly using unreasonable force after stopping a vehicle that fled from Surrey to Richmond in October 2019.
The trial lasted around two weeks last month at Richmond Provincial Court. Judge Jay Solomon heard evidence including a video clip of the arrest, testimonies from officers on the scene and expert evidence on the use of force by police.
The video clip showed three officers throwing a total of around 25 closed-fist punches and knee strikes at the suspect during an "exceptionally brief" interaction that lasted approximately 35 seconds. They later helped the suspect up, shortly after handcuffing him, before taking him into custody.
Solomon will be giving his decision on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 23.
