Oshawa Police Under Fire After Alleged Brutal Assault on Black Lawyer in Courtroom

Legal communities across Canada have expressed deep concern and disappointment following an incident at the Superior Court of Justice in Oshawa, Ontario, involving defence lawyer Sudine Riley. Ms. Riley alleges that on January 23, 2026, uniformed Durham Regional Police Service officers confronted her in an interview room late in the afternoon, then forcibly slammed her head into a desk, placed their knees on her back and neck, and dragged her out of the room in handcuffs before taking her to cells in the courthouse basement — actions her counsel says left her bleeding and swollen and resulted in her headscarf being removed and her skirt raised as she was handled. Riley has been charged with trespassing, a charge she plans to contest. The incident has prompted statements of concern and calls for an independent investigation from multiple legal associations, including the Criminal Lawyers’ Association, the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers, and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Durham police have referred the matter to the York Regional Police for a criminal investigation, and the officers involved have been reassigned away from courthouse duties while the situation is reviewed.

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