Crown lawyers are arguing against the notion that racial profiling was involved in the routine stop which led to Calgary Police Service Sgt. Andrew Harnett being killed by the suspect in 2020.
Prosecutor Mike Ewenson dismissed claims by the now 19-year-old defendant that he feared racial violence from the officers responding to the call.
“At best, it’s all in the young person’s mind,” said Ewenson.
“He was not thinking what the young person tells you he was thinking that night.”
The man charged in the incident was 17-years-old at the time of Harnett’s death and so is protected by a publication ban under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
“He’s so self-assured he calls the officer ‘brother’ three times. He’s certainly not a shrinking violet . . . they’re talking like peers,” said Ewenson of the suspect’s arrest.
After being pulled over, the suspect allegedly killed Harnett after dragging him over 400 metres with a vehicle and flinging him into oncoming traffic.
“That vehicle’s being operated by this young person at a drastically dangerous speed with a human being on the side, and then efforts are undertaken to discharge that human being into and onto a paved street,” explained Ewenson.
“His flight wasn’t due to panic, it was due to determination to get that vehicle out of there.”
Defence lawyer Zachary Al-Kahtib defended his client saying he was a “young boy who panicked.”
“Historically, Indigenous, Black and racialized communities have different perspectives and experiences with practices such as street checks, carding,” argued Al-Kahtib.
“He’s believable when he says he did not mean to murder Sgt. Harnett.”
The court is expected to make a decision by Oct. 21, 2022 on the case.
Following Harnett’s death, Amir Abdulrahman and the 17-year-old suspect turned themselves in to authorities after warrants were issued for their arrest.
