A judge in Ontario has halted first-degree murder charges against three men involved in an alleged “execution-style” killing, citing violations of their Charter rights at a prison facility in Milton, Ontario.
Justice Clayton Conlan of the Superior Court ruled that Joseph Richard Whitlock, Kulvir Singh Bhatia, and Karn Veer Sandhu experienced “torturous state actions” at the Maplehurst Correctional Complex in December 2023.
Following an inmate’s assault on a correctional officer, a crisis intervention team at the facility conducted strip searches on all inmates in Unit 8, including the accused men, and restrained them with zip ties. The inmates were then made to sit facing the wall in their underwear, some remaining in this state for up to two days.
This case is one of several impacted by the violations of inmates’ rights during strip searches and forceful cell removals at Maplehurst Correctional Complex.
The three men were facing charges related to the fatal shooting of Arman Dhillon and the attempted murder of a woman in Oakville, Ontario, with a trial scheduled for the following year.
In his ruling, Conlan criticized the deployment of the crisis intervention team at Maplehurst, stating it was motivated by vengeance and retribution, rather than legitimate reasons.
While recognizing the gravity of the charges against the men and the disappointment for victims and their families, the judge deemed a stay of proceedings appropriate given the circumstances.
Ontario’s ombudsman had initiated an investigation into the events at Maplehurst and urged the province to address the deteriorating conditions and increasing complaints within correctional facilities.