COP CORRUPTION CASE DISMISSED

Judge Cites 'Glacial' Pace Of Proceedings

What was once dubbed the largest police corruption case in Canadian
history fizzled out in a downtown courthouse yesterday as conspiracy,
perjury and obstruction charges were stayed against six former
Toronto police drug squad officers.

"My client, John Schertzer, was extremely relieved that the
proceedings have come to an end. It's been 10 years of hell," lawyer
John Rosen said in an interview.

"In some ways he's disappointed that he's never had an opportunity to
face his accusers and be vindicated by a jury."

Schertzer, Steve Correia, Joe Miched, Ned Maodus, Ray Pollard and
Richard Benoit all walked out of court after Justice Ian Nordheimer
granted a defence motion for dismissal on the basis of unreasonable
delay, calling the pace of the proceedings against the six "glacial."

"This is something people don't appreciate -- he and the other
officers have been through a 10-year ordeal," Rosen said. "It has
taken an enormous toll on them, personally, professionally, in their
relationships, medically. It's just a sad state of affairs.

"They did not get away with anything."

Now retired, Schertzer was a staff-sergeant and team leader for the
drug squad officers in the late 1990s.

The six -- and other officers -- were first investigated by Toronto
police's Internal Affairs in 1998 after an audit of the squad's
informant fund.

Criminal charges were first laid in 2000 but were stayed two years
later. By then, former police chief Julian Fantino had called in RCMP
Supt. John Neily to conduct a wider probe into allegations drug squad
officers were assaulting and robbing drug dealers.

In 2004, the conspiracy, obstruction and perjury charges were laid,
but Rosen said even now he has yet to receive full disclosure from
the Crown in the case.

Peter Brauti, another defence lawyer on the case, told reporters
outside court the case had dragged on far too long.

"When this started I was in law school," he said. "It was an
incredible amount of stress."

Opposition politicians blamed the government for the collapse of the
case, saying Premier Dalton McGuinty has failed to deal with packed
courthouses.

Attorney General Chris Bentley said he plans to roll out a number of
initiatives over the next few months to address court backlogs.

"For me, moving criminal cases through the justice system as quickly
and effectively as possible is a key priority," Bentley said.