Dziekanski was compliant, lawyer alleges
Last Updated: Thursday, February 26, 2009 | 2:29 PM PT
CBC News
Related
Internal Links
Video
- Terry Milewski reports: Dziekanski was compliant, lawyer alleges (Runs: 4:28)
- Play: Real Media »
- Play: QuickTime »
The lawyer for Robert Dziekanski's mother has accused one police officer of looking for a fight the night RCMP confronted Dziekanski at Vancouver's airport and the Polish man was jolted with Taser blasts.
Walter Kosteckyj told the Braidwood inquiry in Vancouver on Thursday that Const. Bill Bentley made no effort to gather information before confronting Dziekanski because Bentley was looking for a fight.
"Don't forget, he was the last police car to arrive and yet he's the first guy over the fence," Kosteckyj told reporters following Thursday's hearing. "That talks to you about where his mindset was in terms of analyzing the situation. So where were the senior guys that should have been analyzing the situation?"
Bentley said the four officers had no plan to use a Taser the day Dziekanski died in October 2007. But just minutes after the last officer arrived, Dziekanski was jolted with the Taser five times and died.
Kosteckyj said initial 911 calls about Dziekanski throwing furniture around were exaggerated, and asked Bentley whether approaching a subject without gathering any information was good police work.
Bentley said there wasn't enough time to properly assess what was happening.
Doubts cast on events
Don Rosenbloom, a lawyer representing the Polish government at the public inquiry, cast further doubt on the RCMP's version of events.
The RCMP contends that when Dziekanski, who did not speak English, turned his back on officers, as seen on tape, it was an act of defiance.
But Rosenbloom suggested that when the video is examined frame by frame, by turning around, Dziekanski appears to merely be obeying an instruction by an officer for him to move toward a counter.
Rosenbloom contended that Dziekanski was in fact being compliant — rather than defiant — when he was subdued.
Kosteckyj said that should come as great comfort to Dziekanski's mother, Zophia.
"He was in those statements shown as a guy who was virtually attacking those police officers, that he was being aggressive towards them, that they had ample reason to Taser him. And now you've heard this one officer recant that portion completely."
Crown prosecutors announced in December they wouldn't charge any of the four officers involved, but the inquiry could still make findings of misconduct.
The inquiry continues next week.
Share Tools
Latest British Columbia News Headlines
- Ryder Hesjedal wins prestigious Giro d'Italia
- Victoria native Ryder Hesjedal has become the first Canadian to win one of the cycling world's three Grand Tour events, wrapping up the 2012 Giro d'Italia with an excellent performance in the final stage in Milan. more »
- Surrey RCMP seek hit-run driver
- Police are looking for a light-coloured Chrysler with damage to the driver's front side after a pedestrian was hit in Surrey, B.C., early Sunday morning. more »
- B.C. man who scaled Everest returns home
- A Vancouver man who climbed the world's highest mountain is back home and talking about the adventure. more »
- Fort Langley restaurant damaged in fire
- A sushi restaurant in Fort Langley, B.C., was damaged in a fire early Sunday morning. more »
Top News Headlines
- Canadian Pacific strikers face back-to-work legislation
- Labour Minister Lisa Raitt is prepared to end the Canadian Pacific Railway strike if necessary, after both CP and the union rejected a proposal for voluntary arbitration by the government-appointed negotiator on Sunday. Raitt says she is "extremely disappointed." more »
- Syrian regime denies role in Houla massacre
- The UN Security Council condemned the Syrian regime at an emergency meeting Sunday, holding president Bashar al-Assad's military responsible for the massacre of more than 100 people, dozens of whom were children younger than 10 years old. more »
- Ryder Hesjedal wins prestigious Giro d'Italia
- Victoria native Ryder Hesjedal has become the first Canadian to win one of the cycling world's three Grand Tour events, wrapping up the 2012 Giro d'Italia with an excellent performance in the final stage in Milan. more »
- Neighbour may have helped find missing kids in Mexico
- Two Winnipeg children who had been missing for nearly four years were found in Mexico after a man raised concerns about his neighbour, according to a private investigator. more »
- B.C. NDP calls for unity in fighting coast guard closure
- Surrey RCMP seek hit-run driver
- B.C. man who scaled Everest returns home
- Fort Langley restaurant damaged in fire
- Passengers' families sue for fatal B.C. plane crash
- B.C. Coast Guard Auxiliary gets new name
- Tsunami motorcycle heading to Harley museum
- Psych ward escapes worry neighbours
- Gang forum honours Surrey 6 victim

