'I'M REALLY, REALLY SORRY,' PARASIRIS TELLS OFFICER'S FAMILY

Released On Bail. Brossard Man Shot, Killed Laval Cop During A Raid On
His Home In March

After being released from the detention centre where he was held for
weeks after killing a police officer, Basil Parasiris apologized to
the victim's family.

Parasiris faces a charge of first-degree murder in the March 2 death
of Laval police Constable Daniel Tessier. The accused was granted bail
Monday; it is believed to be the first time someone charged with the
first-degree murder of a police officer in Canada has been freed on
bail.

"I'm relieved. Very relieved," Parasiris said after he was released
from the Riviere des Prairies detention centre just before noon
yesterday. He was greeted by a few relatives, including his sister
Chrisa, who offered her Brossard home as half the $200,000 bond
Parasiris's family had to post to secure his release.

"I'm really, really sorry for what happened. I honestly thought it was
a home invasion or something," Parasiris said.

"It was not supposed to happen."

The 41-year-old businessman, who co-owns the indoor golf facility
Golf-O-Max in Dorval and the neighbouring Avenue Club Bar, also made a
point of sending his condolences to Tessier's family.

He declined to comment on the case itself, but briefly described how
he felt while in custody.

"I was in shock for the first three or four weeks," he said.

Parasiris's brother Nick, who sat through all of the two-day bail
hearing, was among those who greeted the accused as he left the
detention centre.

"It's great to have him back, but I mean, this case is far from being
over," Nick Parasiris said. "We'll just take it one day at a time from
now.

"We just want to get him back to his family and kids. He's dying to
get them out of school so he could hug them for the first time" in
weeks.

Superior Court Justice Jean-Guy Boilard granted bail on Monday after
hearing the evidence the Surete du Quebec has gathered in its
investigation of Tessier's death. He was killed by shots from a .357
magnum pistol while Laval police attempted to execute a
"dynamic entry" about 5 a.m. at the Parasiris home in Brossard.

During the hearing, several questions were raised as to why Laval
police used such an aggressive tactic that day. The front door was
forced open and nine armed officers stormed inside while shouting:
"Police!"

But Parasiris's lawyer, Jacques Larochelle, said part of the defence
strategy will be to challenge the legality of the warrant. He argues
there was not enough evidence to authorize a "dynamic entry" into the
home. Such tactics are used when police are concerned a suspect is
likely to destroy evidence, such as drugs, before they can get to it.

In a normal situation, police are supposed to knock on a suspect's
door and announce who they are.

The Crown's position is that even if Parasiris did not know Tessier
was a police officer, his actions were reckless.

Constable Stephane Forbes was also wounded by Parasiris during the
raid.

The case is scheduled to resume with a preliminary inquiry scheduled
for August.