Court rules Taser inquiry can find Mounties at fault
Last Updated: Monday, June 15, 2009 | 3:45 PM PT
CBC News
Related
Internal Links
- YOUR QUESTIONS: CBC National Reporter Curt Petrovich takes your questions about the inquiry
- VIDEO: Lawyer Art Vertlieb talks to media about ruling outside courthouse (Runs 4:19)
- VIDEO: Lawyer Don Rosenbloom talks to media about ruling outside courthouse (Runs 8:29)
- RCMP distances itself from officers' lawsuit over Dziekanski inquiry
Video
- Terry Milewski reports: Court rules Taser inquiry can find officers at fault (Runs: 3:35)
- Play: Real Media »
- Play: QuickTime »
Clockwise from top left: RCMP Const. Gerry Rundel, Const. Bill Bentley, Cpl. Monty Robinson and Const. Kwesi Millington challenged the right of the Braidwood commission to make a finding of misconduct. (CBC)The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed a constitutional challenge questioning whether a provincial inquiry can find fault against the four RCMP officers involved in Robert Dziekanski's death.
Justice Arnie Silverman ruled Monday morning in Vancouver that the inquiry properly warned the officers that it might accuse them of using the Taser on Dziekanski when it was "not justified," of giving "misleading" testimony and of misrepresenting the facts.
The judge said the inquiry's commissioner, retired judge Thomas Braidwood, is entitled to make such findings in his final report into the October 2007 death and is not prevented by any lack of jurisdiction.
Lawyers representing the four officers, who brought the challenge, argued in court last Friday that Braidwood's findings were effectively allegations of criminal misconduct, and therefore outside his jurisdiction.
But Silverman ruled that argument was invalid, and also dismissed the officers' claims that the commission should provide additional details of what they did wrong.
Constables Gerry Rundel, Bill Bentley and Kwesi Millington as well as Cpl. Monty Robinson were all present when Dziekanski died after being stunned several times with a Taser at Vancouver International Airport.
The lawyer for the Braidwood commission was pleased with the decision.
"It's an important decision for the commissioner and everybody — to get this work on and to a conclusion," Art Vertlieb said.
The lawyer for the government of Poland, Don Rosenbloom, said the Braidwood commission has been scrupulously fair to all concerned — including the four Mounties — and the recent court challenge is further proof of that.
"I challenge anybody to walk away from this process and feel their position was not heard," he said.
The officers could still appeal the decision, but for now it means the Braidwood inquiry would likely begin hearing closing submissions on Friday.
Share Tools
Latest British Columbia News Headlines
- New Westminster man saves woman from house fire
- A New Westminster, B.C., man is being called a hero after rescuing a woman from the balcony of a burning home early Sunday morning. more »
- Adults-only trade show cancelled in B.C. Bible belt
- Organizers of an adults-only trade show say they're cancelling a three-day event that was scheduled to take place in British Columbia's Bible belt. more »
- Canada fails to advance to Davis Cup quarters
- Canada failed to advance to the Davis Cup quarter-finals Sunday as France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat surprise substitute Frank Dancevic in straight sets in Vancouver. more »
- B.C. vets call for ban on dog docking, cropping
- B.C. veterinarians are calling on the province to ban the docking and cropping of dogs' tails and ears, saying it causes unnecessary pain. more »
Top News Headlines
- Greece passes new austerity deal amid rioting
- Greek lawmakers have approved harsh new austerity measures demanded by bailout creditors to save the debt-crippled nation from bankruptcy, after riots in Athens and other cities left stores looted and burned and more than 120 people hurt. more »
- Quebec town 'heartbroken' after killing of woman, sisters
- A small Quebec town is in mourning Sunday after a Quebec man was charged with killing his nieces and his mother, who were found dead in their family home. more »
- Houston autopsy results withheld by police
- Whitney Houston was found in a hotel bathtub but it'll take weeks to determine precisely how she died, a Los Angeles coroner's official says. more »
- Musicians who died before their time
- The growing list of musicians who have died young. more »
- Former Stanley Park petting zoo goats feared slaughtered
- Adults-only trade show cancelled in B.C. Bible belt
- New Westminster man saves woman from house fire
- B.C. vets call for ban on dog docking, cropping
- Crane drops section of Port Mann bridge into B.C. river
- Langley man struck, killed by train
- RCMP request retraction over 'slanderous' article
- Pickton investigators defended by man who warned of killer
- Emailed rave rape pictures earn teen probation

