B.C.'s opposition party is calling for a special prosecutor to help investigate the death of a Polish immigrant who was shocked by an RCMP Taser and died at the Vancouver International Airport.
The fatal Taser incident on Oct. 14 is serious enough to warrant the appointment of such a prosecutor, said New Democratic Party MLA Mike Farnworth.
RCMP spokesman Cpl. Dale Carr says the eyewitness's video is only one piece of evidence in a large investigation.
(CBC)
"This incident is being watched across the country and has attracted international attention," the public safety critic said in a press release on Wednesday.
"It isn't adequate to have a review in which the police investigate themselves," Farnworth said. "Only an impartial and external investigation will give the family and the public the answers they deserve."
The RCMP said the public should treat an eyewitness's video shown Wednesday as one piece of evidence in a large investigation. The force said no one can judge what happened to Robert Dzekanski, 41, by just watching the video.
"It's just one piece of evidence, one person's view. There are many people that we have spoken to," said RCMP spokesman Cpl. Dale Carr in a press conference.
"What I urge is that those watching the video, take note of that. Put what they've seen aside for the time being. And wait to hear the totality of the evidence at the time of the inquest," Carr said.
Four RCMP officers subdued Robert Dziekanski after stunning him with a Taser Oct. 14 at the Vancouver airport.
(Paul Pritchard)
The NDP's call comes after the public release of an eyewitness video that recorded the moments before and after Dzekanski was jolted with a Taser gun.
Under the Crown Council Act, the assistant deputy attorney general in the province has the power to appoint a special prosecutor to assist with an independent investigation, Farnworth said.
Carr said after police investigation there'll also be a coroner's inquest, but he wouldn't speculate on whether the officers involved will be charged.
"I'm confident at the time of the inquest that this report will be played again and it will refresh your memory so then you'll be able to take the context of the video and the context of what the officers have said, under oath and all the other witnesses and then form an opinion and then scrutinize the police," he said.
Related
Internal Links
- VIDEO: Paul Pritchard’s raw video of Dziekanski’s Taser death [disturbing] (Runs 10:00)
- VIDEO: Kirk Williams reports on police training, protocol on use of weapon (Runs 2:19)
- YOUR VIEW: What's your reaction to this video?
- Taser video shows RCMP shocked immigrant within 25 seconds of arrival
- Grieving mother recalls plans for new life with son
Video
- Curt Petrovich reports for CBC-TV (Runs: 2:22)
- Play: Real Media »
- Play: QuickTime »
- Terry Milewski reports on the reaction for CBC-TV (Runs: 6:19)
- Play: Real Media »
- Play: QuickTime »
Blog Watch
B.C. Headlines
- 2 teens charged after prank at B.C. high school
- Two teenage boys have been charged with mischief and uttering threats after a crumpled note referring to gunfire was found in a Sunshine Coast high school.
- NDP pushes special agreement with China to bring alleged killer to trial
- Federal and provincial New Democrats from B.C. are asking Ottawa and China to work out an agreement to extradite the man charged in the death of Amanda Zhao, who was found stuffed in a suitcase five years ago.
- Former B.C. minister won't face conflict of interest investigation
- Former B.C. labour minister Graham Bruce will not face a conflict of interest investigation following accusations that he lobbied for a First Nation on Vancouver Island less than two years after leaving cabinet, CBC News has learned.
- CBSA seizes cocaine hidden in shipment of lemons
- Border officials seized more than 90 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a shipment of lemons in a tractor-trailer at a Canada-U.S. border just south of Vancouver.
- Bobsled champ takes off on new Olympic track
- Pierre Lueders, a four-time Olympic bobsledder, and brakeman Justin Kripps unexpectedly caught some air while trying out the brand new Whistler Sliding Centre track on Blackcomb Mountain on Thursday.
Canada Headlines
- Hundreds attend funeral for doting grandfather killed delivering Christmas cards
- Friends and family gathered Friday for the funeral of Hunter Brown, an elderly man who was slain while delivering Christmas cards in Kitchener, Ont.
- Byelections in 4 vacant federal ridings set for March
- The race is on in four vacant federal ridings as Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Friday that byelections will be held on March 17.
- Arms exports reached record levels in 2003: report
- A new report by the federal government shows that in 2003, Canada's arms exports reached the highest level ever recorded.
- P.E.I. family left homeless by fire
- A Milburn, P.E.I., family is homeless after fire tore through their house Friday afternoon, just as the holiday season begins.
- 4-year sentence for online sexual abuser a 'slap on the wrist': Tory
- The Ontario Tories called a four-year prison sentence given to a man who sexually abused his young daughter live on the internet a "slap on the wrist," and called on the attorney general to appeal.