Montreal

Stéfanie Trudeau 'Officer 728' trial: witness says he feared dying during arrest

Montreal police officer Stéfanie Trudeau, known as 'Officer 728' because of her badge number, is accused of using excessive force while arresting Serge Lavoie for drinking a beer outside his residence in 2012.

Assault charges stem from arrest caught on video outside Montreal apartment in October 2012

This image was captured in a cellular phone video entered as evidence in the trial of suspended Montreal police officer Stéfanie Trudeau. Serge Lavoie is the man wearing red glasses. (CBC)

Serge Lavoie told a Montreal court Friday that he thought he was going to die while he was being arrested by police officer Stéfanie Trudeau in October 2012.

Trudeau, known to many as 'Officer 728' because of her badge number, is accused of using excessive force while arresting Lavoie for drinking a beer outside his residence on Oct. 2, 2012. She was suspended from the force shortly after.

In his testimony Friday, Lavoie denied that he had been drinking and said he did not resist arrest. He said he did not understand why Trudeau was after him.

I was sure I would die. I told her she's going to kill me,- witness Serge Lavoie



Videos of the incident that the Crown presented as evidence earlier this week show Trudeau forcing Lavoie down a set of stairs in a chokehold.

"I was sure I would die. I told her she's going to kill me," he testified on Friday.

Later, under cross-examination by the defence, Lavoie admitted to having had a couple of beers earlier in the day.

It was also pointed out that Lavoie can be heard on the video calling Trudeau "grosse niaseuse", or "fat dummy," during an earlier altercation between the officer and another man outside the apartment.

Lavoie's testimony came on day two of Trudeau's summary trial for which the officer is seeking a stay of proceedings.

In late 2014, the Crown agreed to try Trudeau by summary trial rather than as an indictable offence, which in turn reduces the severity of the charge. 

As a result, if found guilty, Trudeau faces a maximum of six months in jail rather than the maximum sentence of five years for an indictable offence.

The judge in the case said he would listen to all the Crown's evidence before hearing Trudeau's request for a stay of proceedings.