TORONTO, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- The lawyer for Toronto Mayor Rob Ford say he has challenged police to release a video that allegedly shows the mayor smoking crack cocaine.
Dennis Morris says there's no way to confirm what the mayor was smoking and that Ford is "innocent of any allegations made about his smoking crack cocaine," CBC News reported Friday.
Toronto Star reporters reported this year they had viewed a video that allegedly showed Ford smoking the illegal substance. Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said Thursday police had "a digital file that contains video images which appear to be those images which were previously reported in the press."
Morris urged Blair to "state under oath" the substance Ford was smoking was crack cocaine.
Police spokesman Mark Pugash said in a statement that police do not plan to release the tape.
Unless Ford is convicted of a charge related to the video, the Ontario government cannot remove him from office.
"There's nothing we can do at this point," said Municipal Affairs Minister Linda Jeffrey. "I'm not going to speculate on what the next steps will be."
Jaye Robinson, a city councilor and former member of Ford's executive committee, said the council was powerless to remove the mayor. The only option, Robinson said, was for the major to step down on his own.
Defense lawyer Mike Lacy noted that Ford has not been charged with any crime.
