The man who claims Rob Ford was behind his vicious jailhouse beating in March, 2012, had some nice things to say about the Toronto mayor just a few months ago, according to a new book.
Scott MacIntyre, the estranged ex of Ford's sister Kathy, is suing the mayor, two other men and the Ontario Ministry of Correctional Services for an attack in the Toronto West Detention Centre that left him with a broken leg and busted teeth.
He is seeking $1 million in damages from all of the defendants, plus $100,000 from each of them for aggravated, punitive and penal damages.
MacIntyre was sentenced to 10 months behind bars after pleading guilty to possession of drugs and uttering death threats against the mayor during a heated argument at Ford's home in January of that year.
Last July, Toronto Star reporter Robyn Doolittle contacted MacIntyre through Facebook to ask him questions about the visit to the Ford home that ultimately landed him behind bars. Doolittle was doing research for her book, "Crazy Town: The Rob Ford Story," which explores Ford's unconventional rise to the top of Toronto politics. The book was released Monday.
MacIntyre's response painted a much different picture of the mayor than the one contained in the lawsuit announced last week.
The Fords as a whole family treated me like one of their own and for the things that I did to them they were more than fair and it would be remiss for me to say any different … I paid my debt to society and have put all this behind me and wish you and all other media would do the same. Why don’t you do a story on what a great job Rob has done as Mayor of this City. And the money he has saved the taxpayer!!!
MacIntyre told The Globe and Mail he was trying to deter Doolittle from contacting him, believing he would be left alone if he had complimentary things to say about Ford.
"It was one of those off-the-cuff remarks and I wish I'd never said it," he said.
In his lawsuit, MacIntyre alleges he was beaten because he had threatened to go public with stories of the mayor's reported links to drugs and gangs.
He also alleges the infamous video showing Ford ranting about wanting to kill an unnamed man was all about him.
Ford's lawyer, Dennis Morris, denies Ford was involved in the beating and says the allegations are "without fact or foundation."
The Fords spoke up for MacIntyre at his sentencing hearing in June, 2012, and urged he not face further jail time, The Toronto Sun reported.
MacIntyre's lawyer said at the time the mayor "does not fear" the convict, but wanted him barred from within 500 metres of the mayor's home or any place Ford would likely be. Kathy Ford also wanted to be allowed to contact him and help with drug counseling. Both requests were denied.
MacIntyre, a convicted drug dealer, also shot Kathy Ford in the face in 2008. The incident was deemed an accident.
With previous files and files from The Canadian Press
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