Big Surprise -- RCMP Recommends No Charges Against Itself to Crown Over Dziekanski Taser Death

From CTVbc.ca

A police investigation into the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski is not recommending any criminal charges to Crown prosecutors.

Dziekanski died shortly after being stunned by a Taser gun at Vancouver International Airport by the Richmond RCMP last October.

Investigators from the Integrated Homicide Investigative Team (IHIT) have forward their facts and evidence to Crown Counsel and are "awaiting their response based on their charge approval standard," said Dale Carr, IHIT spokesperson.

Carr says it is the job of the Crown to decide whether to proceed with criminal action against the officers in the Dziekanski case.

Former RCMP officer and Dziekanski family lawyer Walter Kosteckj is taking the view that if the Mounties are not at fault, then their supervisors are.

"Here we have a weapon that they don't know everything about that they should know," he said.

"And they're training people and they're not even prepared to accept the recommendations of the public complaints commissioner not to use it, except for combative situations."

Renowned police psychologist Mike Webster agrees.

He told the recent Braidwood Inquiry, which is investigating the use of Taser weapons, that police are being trained to use the weapons without knowing all the consequences.

"I think they have some misconceptions," he told the inquiry last month. "They are too quick to jump to the use of a conducted energy weapon."

Kosteckj is convinced the facts will change in the second phase of the Braidwood Inquiry that will investigate the circumstances surrounding Dziekanski's death. This is scheduled to begin October 15, almost one year to the day since he died.