CROWNING MOMENT

Probe Of T.O. Drug Squad Beefed Up

Ontario's top cop prosecutor has been assigned to the RCMP-led task force
probing alleged corruption in the Toronto Police drug squad, The Sun has
learned.

James Stewart, 55, chief counsel for police and justice cases at the Crown,
is advising the top-secret task force, sources say.

There is speculation in the legal community that Stewart's addition to an
existing team of special prosecutors indicates the RCMP-led probe has grown
and might be headed toward a conclusion.

"This is starting to look like it could be the biggest police corruption
investigation in Canadian police history," a source said.

Stewart, who conducted special prosecutions across Ontario for the Crown
law office in the early 1990s and took part in the early stages of the Paul
Bernardo and Karla Homolka case, has most recently played major roles in
international war crimes commissions on Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

No Comment

Reached by telephone at his 720 Bay St. office yesterday, Stewart would not
discuss his new role.

"At this point, I am obviously not at liberty to discuss anything about
it," Stewart said.

The RCMP-led drug squad probe -- headed by RCMP Staff Supt. John Neily at
the request of Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino -- is said to be sifting
through years of records from the now-disbanded Central Field Command drug
squads.

Fantino ordered the probe last year amid allegations from Toronto lawyers
that certain drug squad members had taken cash and drugs from suspects,
their homes and safety deposit boxes.

In February, numerous previously laid charges of theft, fraud and forgery
against eight officers in one of four drug squad teams were stayed by the
Crown citing an "ongoing criminal investigation."

Drug Cases Stayed

At the same time, 150 drug cases have been stayed.

As revealed in The Sun, numerous civil court claims allege that certain
drug officers stole gems, coins, booze and cash.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

As chief of prosecutions at the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia, Stewart assembled the legal team that prosecuted former
Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic.