- Dec 17, 2008
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- 30-11-2008
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- 22-12-2008
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http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Taser+death+inquiry+resumes+Vancouver/1194344/story.html
Taser death inquiry resumes in Vancouver
Canwest News ServiceJanuary 19, 2009Comments (1)
VANCOUVER — The death of Robert Dziekanski who was Tasered by police at the Vancouver International Airport hours after he arrived from Poland will be examined as the second half of a public inquiry into begins Monday.
The six-week Braidwood inquiry, which is overseen by retired judge Thomas Braidwood, will examine evidence from the RCMP regarding the four officers involved in the confrontation with Dziekanski in the airport in October 2007.
While the first half of the inquiry focused on the general use of Tasers, this segment will focus on Dziekanski's death after he arrived in Vancouver from Poland and began to get upset while lost in the airport.
The first witnesses to take the stand will be another passenger, airline workers, airport authority staff, and Canada Border Services Agency employees.
Crown prosecutors announced in December that none of the officers involved will be charged. Crown spokesman Stan Lowe said the decision not to charge the officers would allow them to testify at the inquiry.
A frantic Dziekanski died shortly after being Tasered by RCMP. A bystander's videotape of his death was broadcast around the world, causing outrage about the use of Tasers.
At least 25 people in Canada have died after being Tasered by police between 2001 and 2008. About 10 of these deaths involve the RCMP
VANCOUVER — An immigration supervisor in charge the night Robert Dziekanski died after being Tasered by RCMP said the Polish traveller was "co-operative" and may have been sleeping during his 10-hour stay at the Vancouver International Airport.
Alexandra Currie, acting superintendent for the Canada Border Services Agency, told the Braidwood Taser Inquiry Monday that when she saw Dziekanski after 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2007, she knew his flight had landed at 4 p.m., that he was entering as a landed immigrant, didn't speak English "and had been in the airport a number of hours."
Although it was "unusual" for a traveller to stay that long, Currie said Dziekanski did not appear distraught.
"There was nothing unusual," she said. "He appeared calm, co-operative and he was attempting to respond . . . he made eye contact directly with myself and the other officers," said Currie.
The inquiry also heard for the first time that Dziekanski may have been sleeping during a five-hour "gap" in his time at the airport.
"I asked him if he had been sleeping and he nodded," Currie said, with a gesture of folded hands beside her cheek.
However, Currie admitted that none of the dozens of CBSA airport greeters reported seeing Dziekanski sleeping. He left two checked bags unclaimed for hours.
Dziekanski, a nervous traveller who had completed a 24-hour journey from Poland, never managed to exit the Vancouver airport, although he remained "compliant" until the last few minutes of his life.
Four RCMP officers who were called after Dziekanski grew irate in the public area of the airport, responded about 1:25 a.m. and within seconds, Tasered him three times. He fell screaming to the floor where the Taser was used in "push stun mode" twice more, then Cpl. Benjamin Robinson restrained him with a knee in the back.
Dziekanski died on the airport floor within minutes of the Mounties' arrival, without ever seeing his mother Zofia Cisowski, who had waited for hours before being told by airport and immigration officials to go home.
Over five days of evidence, the inquiry has now heard from several customs and immigration officers that Dziekanski was never aggressive or threatening, a direct contradiction with the Dec. 12, 2008, report that cleared the RCMP of any criminal wrongdoing.
The four RCMP officers will testify at the inquiry but will not be charged.
Currie said that she was "very proud" of how customs and immigration officers behaved toward Dziekanski, noting that several went "above and beyond" the call of duty to help him, find his bags and bring him water.
And the immigration officer Juliette Van Agteren, who finally processed Dziekanski's papers, said that she paged his mother Cisowski twice, left a phone message and even looked around for relatives. Cisowski had already left.
"I congratulated him for becoming a landed immigrant to Canada and he said, 'Thank you,'" said Van Agteren.
The inquiry, before former judge Thomas Braidwood, will hold hearings until the end of February.
Taser death inquiry resumes in Vancouver
Canwest News ServiceJanuary 19, 2009Comments (1)
VANCOUVER — The death of Robert Dziekanski who was Tasered by police at the Vancouver International Airport hours after he arrived from Poland will be examined as the second half of a public inquiry into begins Monday.
The six-week Braidwood inquiry, which is overseen by retired judge Thomas Braidwood, will examine evidence from the RCMP regarding the four officers involved in the confrontation with Dziekanski in the airport in October 2007.
While the first half of the inquiry focused on the general use of Tasers, this segment will focus on Dziekanski's death after he arrived in Vancouver from Poland and began to get upset while lost in the airport.
The first witnesses to take the stand will be another passenger, airline workers, airport authority staff, and Canada Border Services Agency employees.
Crown prosecutors announced in December that none of the officers involved will be charged. Crown spokesman Stan Lowe said the decision not to charge the officers would allow them to testify at the inquiry.
A frantic Dziekanski died shortly after being Tasered by RCMP. A bystander's videotape of his death was broadcast around the world, causing outrage about the use of Tasers.
At least 25 people in Canada have died after being Tasered by police between 2001 and 2008. About 10 of these deaths involve the RCMP
VANCOUVER — An immigration supervisor in charge the night Robert Dziekanski died after being Tasered by RCMP said the Polish traveller was "co-operative" and may have been sleeping during his 10-hour stay at the Vancouver International Airport.
Alexandra Currie, acting superintendent for the Canada Border Services Agency, told the Braidwood Taser Inquiry Monday that when she saw Dziekanski after 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2007, she knew his flight had landed at 4 p.m., that he was entering as a landed immigrant, didn't speak English "and had been in the airport a number of hours."
Although it was "unusual" for a traveller to stay that long, Currie said Dziekanski did not appear distraught.
"There was nothing unusual," she said. "He appeared calm, co-operative and he was attempting to respond . . . he made eye contact directly with myself and the other officers," said Currie.
The inquiry also heard for the first time that Dziekanski may have been sleeping during a five-hour "gap" in his time at the airport.
"I asked him if he had been sleeping and he nodded," Currie said, with a gesture of folded hands beside her cheek.
However, Currie admitted that none of the dozens of CBSA airport greeters reported seeing Dziekanski sleeping. He left two checked bags unclaimed for hours.
Dziekanski, a nervous traveller who had completed a 24-hour journey from Poland, never managed to exit the Vancouver airport, although he remained "compliant" until the last few minutes of his life.
Four RCMP officers who were called after Dziekanski grew irate in the public area of the airport, responded about 1:25 a.m. and within seconds, Tasered him three times. He fell screaming to the floor where the Taser was used in "push stun mode" twice more, then Cpl. Benjamin Robinson restrained him with a knee in the back.
Dziekanski died on the airport floor within minutes of the Mounties' arrival, without ever seeing his mother Zofia Cisowski, who had waited for hours before being told by airport and immigration officials to go home.
Over five days of evidence, the inquiry has now heard from several customs and immigration officers that Dziekanski was never aggressive or threatening, a direct contradiction with the Dec. 12, 2008, report that cleared the RCMP of any criminal wrongdoing.
The four RCMP officers will testify at the inquiry but will not be charged.
Currie said that she was "very proud" of how customs and immigration officers behaved toward Dziekanski, noting that several went "above and beyond" the call of duty to help him, find his bags and bring him water.
And the immigration officer Juliette Van Agteren, who finally processed Dziekanski's papers, said that she paged his mother Cisowski twice, left a phone message and even looked around for relatives. Cisowski had already left.
"I congratulated him for becoming a landed immigrant to Canada and he said, 'Thank you,'" said Van Agteren.
The inquiry, before former judge Thomas Braidwood, will hold hearings until the end of February.