News (Media Awareness Project) - CN ON: Opp Officer Accused Of Lying |
| Title: | CN ON: Opp Officer Accused Of Lying |
| Published On: | 2004-07-06 |
| Source: | Packet & Times (CN ON) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-18 06:08:48 |
OPP OFFICER ACCUSED OF LYING
Judge Alleges Orillia Man Lied In Court In Major Drug Case
A veteran provincial police officer from Orillia was charged Tuesday
with two counts of perjury and one count of obstructing justice after
the country's national police force investigated allegations that he
lied in court during a major drug case.
Det. Sgt. John Cavanaugh of the OPP's technical support operations
unit was arrested by officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
after he turned himself in at the force's Newmarket detachment. He was
released on a recognizance to appear in a Toronto court on Wednesday.
At the OPP's request, the RCMP began an investigation last September
to look into concerns raised by Justice John Macdonald about
Cavanaugh's conduct during a provincewide biker gang investigation in
1996.
In its September ruling to drop the drug-related charges against four
men, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice said Cavanaugh lied to five
judges and destroyed five boxes of evidence in the case involving the
Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club.
The ruling said Cavanaugh also made several other falsehoods in
seeking telephone wiretaps on alleged drug dealers.
During the investigation, Cavanaugh, a wiretap expert with 14 years of
experience, was reassigned to an administrative post.
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Michele Paradis did not know whether Cavanaugh
would continue working for the OPP after charges were laid. She did
not want to discuss details of the case that were not included in a
brief press release.
The Packet & Times was unable to reach an OPP spokesperson at the
force's headquarters. Cavanaugh declined comment when reached by The
Packet at his Orillia home yesterday.
"The OPP opened their organization up to our investigators in order to
ensure that all of the allegations could be fully investigated," said
RCMP Insp. Don Panchuk in a statement.
"These types of investigations require a co-operative effort between
law enforcement and the Crown to assure the public of the integrity of
our judicial system."
- --with files from CP
Judge Alleges Orillia Man Lied In Court In Major Drug Case
A veteran provincial police officer from Orillia was charged Tuesday
with two counts of perjury and one count of obstructing justice after
the country's national police force investigated allegations that he
lied in court during a major drug case.
Det. Sgt. John Cavanaugh of the OPP's technical support operations
unit was arrested by officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
after he turned himself in at the force's Newmarket detachment. He was
released on a recognizance to appear in a Toronto court on Wednesday.
At the OPP's request, the RCMP began an investigation last September
to look into concerns raised by Justice John Macdonald about
Cavanaugh's conduct during a provincewide biker gang investigation in
1996.
In its September ruling to drop the drug-related charges against four
men, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice said Cavanaugh lied to five
judges and destroyed five boxes of evidence in the case involving the
Satan's Choice Motorcycle Club.
The ruling said Cavanaugh also made several other falsehoods in
seeking telephone wiretaps on alleged drug dealers.
During the investigation, Cavanaugh, a wiretap expert with 14 years of
experience, was reassigned to an administrative post.
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Michele Paradis did not know whether Cavanaugh
would continue working for the OPP after charges were laid. She did
not want to discuss details of the case that were not included in a
brief press release.
The Packet & Times was unable to reach an OPP spokesperson at the
force's headquarters. Cavanaugh declined comment when reached by The
Packet at his Orillia home yesterday.
"The OPP opened their organization up to our investigators in order to
ensure that all of the allegations could be fully investigated," said
RCMP Insp. Don Panchuk in a statement.
"These types of investigations require a co-operative effort between
law enforcement and the Crown to assure the public of the integrity of
our judicial system."
- --with files from CP
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