Rob Ford crack video released
Posted Aug 11, 2016 10:42 am.
Last Updated Aug 11, 2016 1:45 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The infamous video of the late Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine has been released after a crown dropped the charges against Alexander (Sandro) Lisi in a court case on Thursday.
CityNews obtained the video in 2015 but could not release it due to it being part of court evidence.
Reports surfaced three years ago, in May 2013, from both the Toronto Star and Gawker, that Ford was seen on video smoking what appeared to be crack cocaine.
Lisi, Ford’s occasional driver, was in court because he was charged with extortion in an alleged attempt to retrieve the infamous video.
The Star also reported that Ford can be heard using homophobic slurs in reference to now Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Ford’s lawyer said in May 2013 that it is impossible to tell what a person is smoking by watching the video.
The video was filmed at the address of 15 Windsor Road belonging to Elena Basso and shows Ford sitting in a chair with the camera pointed on him.
Ford’s words are slurred and mostly inaudible. A small pipe can be seen in his right hand for much of the video.
WARNING: Video contains graphic language.
Ford, who died on March 22 from a rare and aggressive form of cancer called pleomorphic liposarcoma, admitted to smoking crack cocaine in one of his “drunken stupors,” but denied he was addicted back in November 2013. He also claimed to have never seen the video that shows him inhaling from a small glass pipe, adding he would like to see the video, just so he knows what happened.
When asked about his drug use, including crack cocaine, Ford said, “I don’t know what it was.”
“This is why I want to see the videos to see for sure. People who have seen them say I was completely out of it. As embarrassed as I am, I have no idea what I did.”
Ford admitted his drug use and apologized for his mistakes.
“So I wasn’t lying, you didn’t ask the correct questions. No, I’m not an addict, and no, I do not do drugs. I’ve made mistakes in the past and all I can do is apologize, but it is what it is and I can’t change the past. And I can apologize to my family, my friends, my colleagues and the people of this great city. I can’t change it,” said Ford told reporters at city hall back in November.
The news of the video was blasted all over Canadian and American media, and earned the former mayor an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. Before then, the Etobicoke native was councillor of Ward 2-Etobicoke North from 2000 to 2010. Ford took a leave of absence and entered rehab in June 2014.
Ford’s family said he had become very weak from previous treatment and was under 24-hour medical watch before his death.
An outpouring of emotion came out after his death with many taking time to share their thoughts on Ford.
