Police made no recommendation on Taser charges
Last Updated: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 | 1:01 PM PT
CBC News
Robert Dziekanski died moments after RCMP officers stunned him with a Taser in the arrivals lounge of the Vancouver airport. (Paul Pritchard)Homicide investigators in Metro Vancouver said Tuesday that contrary to media reports, they have made no recommendation about whether charges should be laid against any police officers in connection with the death of a Polish immigrant in a Taser incident at Vancouver International Airport last year.
Robert Dziekanski, 40, died shortly after RCMP officers shocked him at least twice with the stun guns in the arrivals lounge of the airport late at night on Oct. 14.
Media outlets, including the CBC, had reported earlier Tuesday that homicide investigators have completed their examination and had recommended to the B.C. Crown prosecutors office that no charges be laid.
The Crown is now reviewing the police report and a recommendation on charges was not made by police, said Cpl. Dale Carr, of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
In B.C., police are able to offer a recommendation to Crown prosecutors whether they believe charges should be laid, but it is up to the Crown prosecutors office to make a final decision on whether charges will be laid.
Last week, Cpl. Dale Carr of the integrated homicide team told the CBC that the RCMP had made no recommendation.
Crown spokesman Stan Lowe said prosecutors have had the report for about a month.
The investigation is one of several into the high-profile death, including a coroner's inquest and the provincial Braidwood Inquiry into Taser use.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is a regional police agency made up of members from the RCMP and various municipal police forces.
Corrections and Clarifications
- Homicide investigators have made no recommendation to the Crown in the Robert Dziekanski case, not a recommendation of no charges, as reported earlier. June 17, 2008|4:50 PM PT
