Taser Video

[Russ]

I hate to say it but they really dropped the ball on this one. It sure looks like they were hoping to suppress it until the public interest dropped off.

  At the same time.. is it right the guy can show it when the grieving mother does not want it shown?

  Rest of Story Here:

[A href="vny!://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f8f83d21-8883-45b7-81c0-b8e0b766507d"]vny!://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f8f83d21-8883-45b7-81c0-b8e0b766507d[/A]

   [DIV class=storyheader] [H2]Police say they will return Taser video soon[/H2] [H4]Mounties planned to shock victim before he was confronted, man who shot footage says[/H4]

[DIV class=feed_details] [H4]Jonathan Fowlie and Chantal Eustace, Vancouver Sun[/H4][SPAN]Published: Friday, November 02, 2007[/SPAN]

The public could soon see and hear exactly what happened when police confronted Robert Dziekanski, a Polish immigrant who died at Vancouver International Airport after being shocked by a police Taser.

 Despite repeated earlier refusals to return a series of privately shot videos of the event, police said on Thursday they are now prepared to give the controversial footage back in "the days to come."

 "We have hung on to that video a little bit longer than we initially had anticipated," RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr, a spokesman for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said Thursday afternoon.

 [DIV id=imageBox][img class=thumbnail id=storyphoto height=150 alt="Paul Pritchard describes what he saw at the airport." src="vny!://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/vasn/20071102/134562-44024.jpg?size=l" width=150 border=0]  [H4 id=storyphotocaption]Paul Pritchard describes what he saw at the airport.[/H4] [H6 id=storyphotocredit]Debra Brash, CanWest News Service[/H6]

On Tuesday, Carr had said in an interview that police planned to keep the video until they felt its release would no longer compromise the investigation. At that point, he said, they would likely turn it over to the coroner for the purposes of an inquiry. "If we are criticized for doing that, we are prepared to take that criticism," he said then.

 Carr's announcement Thursday came just hours after the man who shot high-quality videos of the incident told a packed Victoria press conference that the police officer who shocked Dziekanski planned to Taser the Polish immigrant before he even arrived on the scene.

 "As they [three police officers] ran in, I heard one of the officers say, 'Can I Taser him?' or 'Should I Taser him' before they actually got to Mr. Dziekanski," said Paul Pritchard, a 25-year-old Victoria man who shot the video while on his way home from China to be with his ailing father.

 "As soon as they crossed through the doors, within five seconds they kind of flushed him behind the desk and right away they Tasered him," Pritchard added.

 Pritchard said he gave the videos to police right after the incident on the understanding they would be returned within 48 hours. He said police have held onto the videos ever since, telling him he may not see the footage again for up to 21/2 years.

 Rest of Story Here:

[A href="vny!://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f8f83d21-8883-45b7-81c0-b8e0b766507d"]vny!://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=f8f83d21-8883-45b7-81c0-b8e0b766507d[/A][/DIV]

[P.C.]

 I hate to say it but they really dropped the ball on this one. It sure looks like they were hoping to suppress it until the public interest dropped off.



At the same time.. is it right the guy can show it when the grieving mother does not want it shown?

  I agree Russ.  I often take the unpopular stand of supporting the police in their actions....because I wouldn't want to deal with some of the crap they deal with.  But this case isn't one of them.  I think they reacted too hastily without taking even a moment to understand what they were dealing with.

  I think the mistake happened long before the officers even arrived on the scene.  That being, in the calls that were placed.  Statements like "he appears to be drunk or high".  I think this caused them to have a preconceived and inaccurate notion of what they were going to be dealing with.

  As far as the mother not wanting the video shown, I can only imagine how painful it would be to her.  But on the other hand, it may be the very thing that will get the justice that I'm sure she would want.

  *on another note.....speaking of earlier mistakes that lead up to this incident.....I can't imagine going to a foreign country, and not educating myself to at the very least, know a few helpful phrases in the language of that country.  [/DIV]

[stupid logouts]

P.C. wrote:
  I hate to say it but they really dropped the ball on this one. It sure looks like they were hoping to suppress it until the public interest dropped off.



At the same time.. is it right the guy can show it when the grieving mother does not want it shown?

  I agree Russ.  I often take the unpopular stand of supporting the police in their actions....because I wouldn't want to deal with some of the crap they deal with.  But this case isn't one of them.  I think they reacted too hastily without taking even a moment to understand what they were dealing with.

  I think the mistake happened long before the officers even arrived on the scene.  That being, in the calls that were placed.  Statements like "he appears to be drunk or high".  I think this caused them to have a preconceived and inaccurate notion of what they were going to be dealing with.

  As far as the mother not wanting the video shown, I can only imagine how painful it would be to her.  But on the other hand, it may be the very thing that will get the justice that I'm sure she would want.

  *on another note.....speaking of earlier mistakes that lead up to this incident.....I can't imagine going to a foreign country, and not educating myself to at the very least, know a few helpful phrases in the language of that country.  [/DIV][/DIV]
 This is my biggest problem with anyone, today, immigrating to this country that does not speak basic english.

Sure not everyone can speak english (or French!!) passably when they arrive , but when after say 5 years people still cannot converse to others in English or French.. there should be some questions raised.

Im a firm believer in a proficiency test in English or French.. then a test again orally say 5 years later in either language.  

[P.C.]

I think at the very least I would learn a few phrases.....like 'where's the bathroom' (lol) or 'I need some help'.....among others.  I would learn these even if I were just visiting.  AND.....if I were planning to LIVE there, I would certainly make it my mission to learn the language.  Aside from the fact that I think it would be my responsibility, it would drive me crazy on a personal level, to be someplace where I couldn't make myself be understood.  I think it would be very lonely.....or like being mute.

[Lise]

First of all, I want to say that I'm truly sorry for the mother who had lost her son. No mother should have to go through the process of losing their children. It a sad, sad case and I hope she will find some closure in all of this in the days to come.

  As for the video being made public, I feel that it should be made public because we need to know what happen. I mean, why the cover up by the police? Are they hiding something? If they have not done anything wrong then they shouldn't be afraid of releasing the video back to the public, right?

  I do think that the man who shot the video is trying to get his 15 mins of fame or is trying his darnest to get paid for his video. That's kinda sad considering he is sponging off someone's misfortune and death. I wonder how he will sleep at night? If I were him, I would respect the mother's wishes. Heck, I would even give the video back to her.

[P.C.]

I do think that the man who shot the video is trying to get his 15 mins of fame or is trying his darnest to get paid for his video. That's kinda sad considering he is sponging off someone's misfortune and death.

  I sadly had the same thought Lise.

  I think that the mother would probably never view it....but it may very well be the only evidence there is for her to seek justice if this was in fact botched.  And more and more, it's sure starting to look like it.

[edward]

why did he not learn english if he knew he was coming for at least seven years? It is pretty nervy trying to become a Canadian citizen without bothering to learn our language. I don't know how anyone could be stupid enough to throw a fit in an airport in this day and age also. The police are not at fault. They need tasers to take down mentally ill people who, if for example, are manic can be stronger than several police officers. If there is a problem the police need alternative and this costs money to research and buy, but vancouverites and canadians in general are too materialistic and cheap to pay more in taxes.  

[P.C.]

  I agree that people need to assume some responsiblity in being able to speak a few helpful phrases when entering a foreign country....at the very least, for their own safety.  But the more I see, the more it appears that the police reacted poorly.

  As far as Vancouverites and Canadians in general being too materialistic and cheap to pay more in taxes ??  Ummm....yea.....OK.  So you're up for more taxes?

  I don't see this as a money issue.....it seems it may have simply been mishandled.

[Michel]

   

[Edward]

We are not up for more taxes in Canada. Our leaders want to lower our taxes but hospitals and schools are closing, long waits for medical operations, lack of social housing, shortage of police, etc. We should take care of our infrastructure before we lower taxes. I think it is a ploy by our leaders to get reelected, IMHO.