Rob Ford pushes press off his driveway
Rob Ford pushes press off his driveway, coming close to losing his temper.
Guilty plea in killing of man linked to Rob Ford scandal
The killer of a man seen in a widely publicized photo tied to the Toronto Mayor Rob Ford crack cocaine video scandal has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter for the slaying.
The plea deal comes just over 2½ months after admitted killer Nisar Hashimi turned himself in to police in connection with the shooting death of Anthony Smith outside a Toronto nightclub in March. It also means evidence surrounding the crack video controversy won't have to be presented in open court.
Please send tips on this story to john.lancaster@cbc.ca and nazim.baksh@cbc.ca.
Instead, Hashimi has agreed to a sentence of nine years in prison. In exchange, the Crown will not have to present disclosure to the defence, and the police evidence in his case — including wiretaps, surveillance, and any seized cellphones, laptops or videos — won’t be presented in open court.
Toronto criminal defence lawyer Edward Sapiano, who is not involved in the case, called the plea deal "unprecedented."
"In 20 years of practice I have never seen a guilty plea on a homicide without disclosure," said Sapiano. "And in less than three months! There is absolutely something going on here."
"The questions over Rob Ford's possible involvement [with alleged drug dealers] will remain unanswered as a result," he said.
Smith's killing, and Ford's possible ties to drug dealers in the Dixon Road area, became the subject of intense questioning of Toronto police Chief Bill Blair earlier this month. Blair was pressed on whether Ford had been implicated in drug use, or caught on video, as the police chief detailed the arrests tied to a police crackdown on the gang, the Dixon City Bloods.
"I cannot disclose to you any of the evidence that we have seized in this case. It'll come out in court," Blair told a throng of reporters. "We have gathered evidence pertaining to murders and to attempted murders, and that forms part of the prosecution we are bringing forward. But the evidence as it relates to those offences must come out in court and not at a press conference."
But the plea deal for Hashimi means none of the evidence in what was the most serious criminal charge from Project Traveller — first-degree murder — will ever be revealed in court.
The shooting of Smith might otherwise have passed with little notice by mainstream media had a now-infamous photo not surfaced, showing Smith alongside Ford. The photo was first published in the Toronto Star and on the U.S. website Gawker, in separate reports that drug dealers were trying to sell a video of Toronto's mayor smoking crack cocaine. The two outlets were provided with the photo as evidence Ford was hanging out with drug dealers.
CBC News has not seen the video and cannot verify its contents or existence.
'I cannot disclose to you any of the evidence that we have seized in this case. It’ll come out in court.'—Toronto police Chief Bill Blair
Smith has never been publicly identified by police as a drug dealer, but today in court the Crown revealed police believe Smith and his associates were members for the Dixon City Bloods and that Smith was taking instructions from the gang.
Smith's friends Muhammad Khattak and Monir Kassimm, who were also pictured in the photograph posing with Ford, were arrested earlier this month in a series of raids cracking down on the Dixon Bloods, who according to police were trafficking millions of dollars worth of guns, cocaine, hashish and crystal meth from the U.S., through Windsor to Toronto.
In an agreed statement of facts, Hashimi admitted that he and an associate were in a dispute with Smith and his gang, and that the shooting outside the nightclub erupted as part of an escalating war.
Crown prosecutor Mary Misener read out the statement, saying that it was Smith who, acting on a text message of coded instructions from a member of his gang, initiated a fight with Hashimi and his associates.
Hashimi admits to pulling out a handgun and firing multiple shots in short succession, and then fleeing by car. The prosecutor said the Crown accepts that Hashimi did not intend to kill Smith or injure one of his associates (Khattak), but that the killing happened in the heat of a fight with Hashimi’s “capacity” diminished by drugs and alcohol mixed with cough syrup.
The prosecutor told the court that Toronto police completed a competent investigation and that based on a review of the evidence, a manslaughter conviction "properly" addressed Hashimi's legal culpability.
"We are well aware of the tragic consequences of gun violence in public places in our community and of our duty to vigorously prosecute the perpetrators of these gravely dangerous crimes," Misener told the court.
"Mindful of duty, we have determined that acceptance of Mr. Hashimi's pleas to manslaughter in the death of Anthony Smith and aggravated assault in the injuring of Mohammaed Khattak properly and justly reflects the extent of Mr. Hashimi's legal culpability on the evidence in this case."
Hashimi's co-accused, Hanad Mohamed, was arrested in Fort McMurray, Alta., in May. He has been charged with the murder of Smith and the attempted murder of Khattak. Mohamed's case is still before the courts.
Media seek to unseal police evidence
Meanwhile, CBC News and other media organizations are bringing court applications in Toronto asking a judge to unseal various search warrants and police documents tied to the ongoing drug investigations, so that the public can know whether Toronto's mayor is in any way implicated in illegal activity.
Ford insists he does not use crack cocaine and has denied allegations he has been captured on video smoking a crack pipe — an alleged video which has yet to surface publicly.
Funny or Die leaks Rob Ford Crack Video
Honestly, people cannot get enough of making fun of Toronto's crackhead mayor Rob Ford.
UPDATE
Since then screen shots of Rob Ford smoking crack have been made public in April 2014. The screen shots are from a new video that was made on April 26th 2014.
UPDATE
Since then screen shots of Rob Ford smoking crack have been made public in April 2014. The screen shots are from a new video that was made on April 26th 2014.
Murdered man had possession of crack video
Murdered man had possession of crack video of Rob Ford.
Anthony Smith had the crack video of Rob Ford, but has now turned up dead. (Update November 2013: Tape now in possession of Toronto police.)
Anthony Smith had the crack video of Rob Ford, but has now turned up dead. (Update November 2013: Tape now in possession of Toronto police.)
Sample of Rob Ford's hair tests positive for cocaine
There is a rumour circulating that a sample of Rob Ford's hair has tested positive for past cocaine use.
Just a rumour. Can't verify the source because it was tested anonymously.
It is probably just that, a rumour.
Although to be fair Rob Ford could settle this whole issue by simply volunteering to undergo a drug test - but since we all know by now that he really does smoke crack, he isn't going to volunteer to undergo a test he knows he will fail.
Thus it wouldn't surprise me if somehow someone got hold of a sample of Rob Ford's hair and tested it for past cocaine use - because using cocaine, even crack cocaine, causes a permanent change in someone's hair which can be detected even centuries after they died.
Just a rumour. Can't verify the source because it was tested anonymously.
It is probably just that, a rumour.
Although to be fair Rob Ford could settle this whole issue by simply volunteering to undergo a drug test - but since we all know by now that he really does smoke crack, he isn't going to volunteer to undergo a test he knows he will fail.
Thus it wouldn't surprise me if somehow someone got hold of a sample of Rob Ford's hair and tested it for past cocaine use - because using cocaine, even crack cocaine, causes a permanent change in someone's hair which can be detected even centuries after they died.
Two of Rob Ford's staff quit the same day as police homicide interview
Two of Rob Ford's staff resigned yesterday. A total of three of Rob Ford's closest staff have resigned in the last 5 days.
The same day, an unknown member of Rob Ford's staff was interviewed by the Toronto Police homicide squad about the Rob Ford Smoking Crack Video and a possible homicide.
Two separate sources have confirmed to the media that the interview took place.
The staffer felt compelled to share the tip with police, which came to him from someone else in the mayor’s office, with police because it could constitute evidence in a homicide investigation.
The staffer did not verify the credibility of the information.
Two homicide officers interviewed the staffer away from City Hall, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.
Staff Inspector Greg McLane, head of Toronto Police's homicide squad, confirmed to the media that an interview had taken place, but said there isn't enough to lead to a homicide investigation. McLean said that homicide officers conducted the interview only because they have expertise that other officers don't.
The people who were attempting to sell the Rob Ford Smoking Crack Video have gone missing in the last week and many media pundits are beginning to speculate they may have been murdered.
The informant in the mayor’s office claims to know the address and unit number where one of the people who made the video was living.
The informant went on to say that the video originally belonged to an individual who may have been killed for its potentially valuable contents, according to sources.
Gawker has raised the $200,000 to buy the Rob Ford Smoking Crack Video, but nobody has stepped forward to claim the money so far. Possibly because they've been murdered and their bodies have been dumped.
The only image released from the video shows Rob Ford standing with a man believed to be Anthony Smith, a 21-year-old man gunned down in downtown Toronto on March 28th.
Muhammad Khattak, a 19-year-old living in north Etobicoke, was hit in the arm and back the same night Smith was killed two months ago outside a King Street nightclub. There is no indication he was involved in the shooting or the making of the video, but according to Muhammad Khattak's mother he and Anthony Smith were good friends.
There is no word on whether Muhammad Khattak has recently gone missing.
Two sources, one with the Toronto police and another involved in politics, say homicide detectives are now investigating whether that the video phone originally belonged to 21-year-old Smith and if the video was made the night of the shooting.
Toronto Star and Gawker reporters were first contacted about the video of Rob Ford Smoking Crack on April 1st - only 4 days after the death of Anthony Smith.
The same day, an unknown member of Rob Ford's staff was interviewed by the Toronto Police homicide squad about the Rob Ford Smoking Crack Video and a possible homicide.
Two separate sources have confirmed to the media that the interview took place.
The staffer felt compelled to share the tip with police, which came to him from someone else in the mayor’s office, with police because it could constitute evidence in a homicide investigation.
The staffer did not verify the credibility of the information.
Two homicide officers interviewed the staffer away from City Hall, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting.
Staff Inspector Greg McLane, head of Toronto Police's homicide squad, confirmed to the media that an interview had taken place, but said there isn't enough to lead to a homicide investigation. McLean said that homicide officers conducted the interview only because they have expertise that other officers don't.
The people who were attempting to sell the Rob Ford Smoking Crack Video have gone missing in the last week and many media pundits are beginning to speculate they may have been murdered.
The informant in the mayor’s office claims to know the address and unit number where one of the people who made the video was living.
The informant went on to say that the video originally belonged to an individual who may have been killed for its potentially valuable contents, according to sources.
Gawker has raised the $200,000 to buy the Rob Ford Smoking Crack Video, but nobody has stepped forward to claim the money so far. Possibly because they've been murdered and their bodies have been dumped.
The only image released from the video shows Rob Ford standing with a man believed to be Anthony Smith, a 21-year-old man gunned down in downtown Toronto on March 28th.
Muhammad Khattak, a 19-year-old living in north Etobicoke, was hit in the arm and back the same night Smith was killed two months ago outside a King Street nightclub. There is no indication he was involved in the shooting or the making of the video, but according to Muhammad Khattak's mother he and Anthony Smith were good friends.
There is no word on whether Muhammad Khattak has recently gone missing.
Two sources, one with the Toronto police and another involved in politics, say homicide detectives are now investigating whether that the video phone originally belonged to 21-year-old Smith and if the video was made the night of the shooting.
Toronto Star and Gawker reporters were first contacted about the video of Rob Ford Smoking Crack on April 1st - only 4 days after the death of Anthony Smith.
Crackstarter raises $201,254
The Rob Ford Crackstarter has raised $201,254 to buy the Rob Ford Crack Smoking Video.
However the two men who own the video, shown with blurred faces in the photo below, have since gone missing.
The police are currently investigating a possible connection to the video and the murder of Anthony Smith on March 28th.
The video of Rob Ford smoking crack was made the same night Anthony Smith was shot and murdered by an unknown shooter. The iPhone used to make the video of Rob Ford smoking crack was allegedly owned by Anthony Smith.
Yesterday an informant inside the Mayor's office was interviewed by two officers from Toronto Police's homicide squad about possible evidence linking Toronto Mayor Rob Ford to the homicide investigation.
However the two men who own the video, shown with blurred faces in the photo below, have since gone missing.
The police are currently investigating a possible connection to the video and the murder of Anthony Smith on March 28th.
The video of Rob Ford smoking crack was made the same night Anthony Smith was shot and murdered by an unknown shooter. The iPhone used to make the video of Rob Ford smoking crack was allegedly owned by Anthony Smith.
Yesterday an informant inside the Mayor's office was interviewed by two officers from Toronto Police's homicide squad about possible evidence linking Toronto Mayor Rob Ford to the homicide investigation.
Rob Ford denies existence of video
As if sticking his head in the sand will make it any less factual.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford vehemently denied allegations that he can be seen on a cellphone video smoking what appeared to be crack cocaine.
"I do not use crack cocaine," Ford told a jam-packed news conference at Toronto City Hall. "Nor am I an addict of crack cocaine."
The crackhead mayor said it was "business as usual at city hall" and gave no indication that he has any intention of leaving the job.
Which is true, even if the video turns out to be him smoking crack cocaine, they really have no power to push him out of office even if we could prove if its actually crack he is smoking in the video.
Rob Ford has been avoiding questions and talking about the crack video for over a week now, denying its very existence while simultaneously denying that it was crack he was smoking in the video.
That is a bit like claiming
"I didn't steal anything from the cookie jar." and also saying "I did eat some cookies, but you can't tell whether they were from THAT cookie jar."
Ford also said he could not comment on a video "that I have never seen or does not exist."
Umm... saying that counts as a comment. And the way he said it, with the or implies that it probably does exist, and that he is simply refusing to talk in detail about the events in the video because he a) hasn't seen it and b) doesn't remember everything that he did during the making of the video.
Ford refused to answer questions at the end of his short statement and left the room.
Notes
At the start of the press conference Rob Ford seemed to be smiling a lot at the beginning. Nervous habit maybe? Or did he come up with $200,000 to buy the video and has already paid for it?
In a note posted on the Gawker website, Gawker editor John Cook said his confidence in completing a deal to buy the video has "diminished" because the dealer who has the video has been incommunicado in recent days. So either the dealer is waiting for the $$$ being raised to reach $200,000 or is it possible they have already sold the video to Rob Ford??? In which case, did they keep a copy of the video and are planning to sell the backup copy to Gawker?
Because lets face it, if you could make $400,000 instead by selling the original copy to Rob Ford (who destroys it) and selling a backup copy to Gawker, why wouldn't you take the $400,000 instead? Especially since it minimizes your losses and doubles your profits.
MEANWHILE!
Rob Ford has been fired as head coach of the Don Bosco Eagles senior football team.
Yesterday / Thursday, Mark Towhey, Rob Ford’s chief of staff, was fired after he urged the mayor to "get help". Presumably with his crack addiction, otherwise why else was he fired?
Jon Stewart rips Rob Ford a new one on the Daily Show
Not only has Jon Stewart ripped Rob Ford a new hole to smoke crack out of, but apparently Canadians are blow*** bestowing crack monkeys. Watch the video for a hilarious take on Canada's tarnished reputation.
Jimmy Kimmel uses Rob Ford as a comedy punching bag
Jimmy Kimmel uses Rob Ford as a comedy punching bag.
Rob Ford Crackstarter up to $97,000 already
As of Tuesday the 21st at 7 PM Rob Ford's Crackstarter has already reached $97,000.
There is only 6 days and 5 hours remaining to reach $200,000 to buy the video of Rob Ford smoking crack.
According to my calculations the average person so far is chipping in $24.76 (roughly $25). The exact amount will likely vary going forward, but its nice to know so many people are willing to chip in $25 to see the video.
Have you chipped in your $25 yet???
Use the link below!
There is only 6 days and 5 hours remaining to reach $200,000 to buy the video of Rob Ford smoking crack.
According to my calculations the average person so far is chipping in $24.76 (roughly $25). The exact amount will likely vary going forward, but its nice to know so many people are willing to chip in $25 to see the video.
Have you chipped in your $25 yet???
Use the link below!
Rob Ford Crack Cartoons
Some of the cartoons below are older and date from BEFORE Rob Ford was elected. (Or before he got caught smoking crack on video.)
Contribute to Buying Rob Ford's Crack Cocaine Video
Help pitch in some cash to buy Rob Ford's Crack Cocaine Video by visiting the following website:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rob-ford-crackstarter
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rob-ford-crackstarter
Rob Ford doesn't deny smoking crack cocaine
Instead he is calling them "ridiculous", but his actions ridiculous or not, he is not disputing the existence of the video showing him smoking crack cocaine and the comments he made during the video.
His comments during the video include:
#1. Calling Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau "a fag".
#2.When asked about a football team and he mumbles “they are just f---ing minorities.”
#3. Complains about the Don Bosco high school football team.
“I’m f---ing right-wing,” Ford appears to mutter at one point. “Everyone expects me to be right-wing. I’m just supposed to be this great.…” and his voice trails off.
During the video Rob Ford is sitting down, his shirt open, smoking from a crack pipe.
The video ends with the ringing of a cellphone (it is not clear if it is the cellphone that is being used to video the scene). The ring tone, which is a song, startles the mayor, whose slitted eyes open a bit, and he is heard to say, “That phone better not be on.”
The makers of the video, a group of Somali drug dealers who sold Rob Ford the crack cocaine, are attempting to sell ownership of the video to the highest bidder and are looking for at least 6 figures.
One of the owners of the video was killed in a shooting in downtown Toronto two weeks ago. He is shown in the photo up above, on the left, with his arm on Mayor Rob Ford's shoulder.
Rob Ford blames cyclists, saying its their own fault
We all know Rob Ford hates cyclists.
It is mostly because he sucks at driving.
But what you might not know is how much Rob Ford absolutely hates cyclists.
Back in 2007, he said that if a bicyclist is killed by a car, it was the bicyclist's own fault for riding a bicycle.
He seems to have missed the point that bike lanes are there to give both cars and cyclists more safety and security, and that bicycles have been on the roads longer than cars and are legally considered to be "vehicles".
It is mostly because he sucks at driving.
But what you might not know is how much Rob Ford absolutely hates cyclists.
Back in 2007, he said that if a bicyclist is killed by a car, it was the bicyclist's own fault for riding a bicycle.
He seems to have missed the point that bike lanes are there to give both cars and cyclists more safety and security, and that bicycles have been on the roads longer than cars and are legally considered to be "vehicles".
Rob Ford calls colleague "a waste of skin"
July 23, 2005
During a council debate over a pothole, Rob Ford had a temper tantrum during which he called fellow Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby "a joke. She's a waste of time. A waste of skin."
I like her.
We should make her Mayor of Toronto.
During a council debate over a pothole, Rob Ford had a temper tantrum during which he called fellow Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby "a joke. She's a waste of time. A waste of skin."
I like her.
We should make her Mayor of Toronto.
Rob Ford calls colleague a slithering snake
In February of 2003, Ford went on a tirade at a city council meeting, calling a colleague a "slithering snake" who belongs in the zoo.
The city council meeting quickly devolved into absolute chaos, by Canadian standards.
The city council meeting quickly devolved into absolute chaos, by Canadian standards.
Why don't we have a public lynching?
Rob Ford's compassion for the homeless.
In 2002, Ford suggested that instead of having a "public meeting" about locating a homeless shelter in his district, "Why don't we have a public lynching?"
In 2002, Ford suggested that instead of having a "public meeting" about locating a homeless shelter in his district, "Why don't we have a public lynching?"
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