A wave of grief and raw anger erupted in a Windsor courtroom as the jury delivered its verdict in the case of Malique Calloo. He was found guilty of manslaughter, but acquitted of the more serious charge of murder, in the 2022 shooting death of Daniel Squalls.
The courtroom was immediately filled with emotion. A member of Squalls’ family, overcome with anguish, shouted a defiant message as Calloo and his supporters left the room, a stark expression of the pain that lingered long after the verdict was read.
The trial centered around a confrontation that unfolded on a November afternoon near a daycare. Calloo, taking the stand in his own defense, testified that Squalls had deliberately provoked him, revealing plans to move to the United States with Calloo’s daughter and her mother.
Defense attorney Adam Weisberg argued that a long-standing and bitter rivalry between the two men – both fathers to daughters with the same woman – fueled Calloo’s actions. He described the shooting as a response born “in the heat of passion,” a desperate reaction to a deeply personal threat.
However, the Crown presented a starkly different picture, focusing on the sheer number of shots fired. Assistant Crown attorney George Spartinos argued that the evidence clearly demonstrated Calloo’s intent to kill, emphasizing that Squalls, unarmed, was struck fifteen times.
The revelation of the planned move to Texas had come just hours before the shooting. Calloo, according to his lawyer, feared this relocation would sever his relationship with his daughter, effectively erasing him from her life and positioning Squalls as her sole father figure.
Weisberg believed the jury recognized the provocation Calloo experienced, leading to the manslaughter conviction. While Calloo expressed relief at the verdict, Weisberg emphasized his client’s profound remorse for the tragic loss of Daniel Squalls’ life.
The intensity of the emotions spilled over into the courtroom once more, with another observer declaring that repeated actions could not be dismissed as accidental. Justice Maria Carroccia intervened, reminding the jurors not to be swayed by the reactions of individuals in the gallery.
Acknowledging the difficulty of the case, Justice Carroccia thanked the jurors for their dedicated service. Calloo remains in custody, awaiting a sentencing date to be scheduled later this month. The prosecution declined to offer any comment following the verdict.
