Related
Internal Links
Dr. Keith Chambers says proper studies on the effects of the Taser have not been done. (CBC) The first phase of the Braidwood Inquiry on Taser use heard from its last presenters Friday.
The inquiry, which was called following the death of Robert Dziekanski after he was shot by a Taser at Vancouver International Airport last fall, began on May 5.
A Vancouver epidemiologist told the inquiry Friday that the safety of the stun guns cannot be determined based on any studies to date.
Dr. Keith Chambers, an expert in clinical trials, said proper studies have not been done and people should be asking questions.
"I think they should ask how large, how many people are in your studies, [and] are they big enough to detect what you want to detect," Chambers said. "Are they being done on people in the real world … and is there any kind of large independent database that is collecting this kind of data so we can find out."
Because the focus of the studies that have been done is on sudden death, Chambers said, the possibility of serious injuries may be overlooked.
However, Murray Mollard, the executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, told the inquiry Tasers should be banned altogether.
"If Mr. Dziekanski's death hadn't been captured on video then we wouldn't be here today. Mr. Braidwood wouldn't be here today as the commissioner of this inquiry," Mollard said.
Murray Mollard, executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, says Tasers should be banned. (CBC) This first phase of the inquiry has focused on Taser use, as well as deaths and injuries associated with the weapon. Taser victims, police, and medical experts on the use of the stun gun have testified.
Numerous medical experts expressed concerns about the risks, while police officers testified Tasers save lives.
The second phase of the inquiry, which will focus on Dziekanski's death, will not begin until all police investigations are complete and any possible charges are dealt with in court.
Share Tools
Latest British Columbia News Headlines
- Johnsons Landing residents get more bad news about homes
- Residents of Johnsons Landing, B.C., are being told many of their homes and properties are uninhabitable following a geotechnical report after a mudslide last year. more »
- Flood watch underway in central B.C. Interior

- Several communities in B.C.'s central Interior are watching for signs of flooding after days of heavy rain. more »
- Men found dead in B.C. lake wore over-sized lifejackets
- A rescue official says two men found dead in Kalamalka Lake, south of Vernon, on Wednesday were wearing life jackets that didn't fit properly. more »
- Vancouver man abandons Porsche on B.C. ferry
- A Vancouver man left his Porsche on a B.C. ferry last night, and the luxury vehicle is now in a police impound lot. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- How was the Mike Duffy report 'whitewashed?'
- Opposition parties pushed the government on Thursday to answer questions about the "whitewashed" Duffy report while the RCMP is also seeking more information from the Senate as part of its review of questionable expenses. more »
- 2nd suspect in Tim Bosma murder case to plead not guilty
- The lawyer for Mark Smich says the Oakville, Ont., resident will plead not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Tim Bosma, the Hamilton man who disappeared earlier this month after taking two men on a test drive of his truck. more »
- Chained-teen's mom wants man who pleaded guilty 'to suffer'

- The mother of a teen who was chained up and sexually assaulted at a Nova Scotia home said after David James Leblanc pleaded guilty to some charges that she wants him "to suffer." more »
- 2 more arrests linked to hacking death of British soldier
- WARNING: This story contains graphic content. Two more people have been arrested by officers investigating the hacking death of a U.K. soldier in London, say British police. more »
- B.C. teen saves pet dog in 'terrifying' cougar attack
- Vancouver man abandons Porsche on B.C. ferry
- 750 homes sliding away in Quesnel, B.C.
- Plumber's car explodes near Vancouver apartments
- Flood watch underway in central B.C. Interior
- New West parkade a blight on revitalized waterfront
- Man stabbed in Vancouver
- 2 men found in Kalamalka Lake near Vernon, B.C.
- Adrian Dix to stay on as B.C. NDP leader despite election loss

