Vol. 73/No. 12      March 30, 2009

On Oct 14, 2007, shortly after arriving from Poland, Dziekanski was zapped five times with a 50,000-volt taser gun at the Vancouver International Airport by four cops from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The cops then pounced on him with their knees on his chest and neck until he stopped breathing.

The cops were called after Dziekanski, unable to speak English, was found wandering the airport baggage area after a lengthy trip from Poland. No attempt was made to find a Polish interpreter. He became increasingly upset. Dziekanski was tasered by the cops within 30 seconds of their arrival and died minutes later.

Protests against the cop killings were organized in several cities across Canada at the time, including a demonstration of more than 1,000 in Vancouver.

At the inquiry the cops claimed Dziekanski threatened them. They said that he raised a stapler above his head in a threatening manner and that he was “in a combative stance.” A bystander's video of the entire incident contradicts all of the cops’ claims.

According to Vancouver Sun columnist Ian Mulgrew, people attending the hearing were appalled at the cops' testimony, which drew "laughing in disbelief." They were incredulous that four cops each much bigger in size than the Dziekanski, armed with firearms, batons, and pepper spray, could claim they were afraid for their safety from a frightened, exhausted newly arrived immigrant with a stapler in his hand.

According to the Globe and Mail, the video showed that the report filed by the lead cop, Kwesi Millington, who also tasered Dziekanski, was false on every count. After jolting Dziekanski once, Millington said he tasered him again because Dziekanski did not go down. The video shows Dziekanski on the floor shaking with both feet in the air. Millington said he tasered the man a third time after the other cops had jumped on him because Dziekanski was still moving. He said he tasered Dziekanski two more times because he thought the taser had malfunctioned.

The police also insisted that they were following proper police procedure as they watched Dziekanski turn blue and stop breathing without attempting to administer CPR or allow emergency crews to remove his handcuffs to administer first aid.

On December 12, before any of the cops' testimony had been heard, Stan Lowe, representing the criminal justice branch of the British Columbia government, announced that the four RCMP officers involved in Dziekanski’s death will not be charged. Lowe argued that a conviction would be unlikely and that charges would not be in the public interest.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government is blocking efforts by the Polish government to launch its own investigation into Dziekanski’s death. On the eve of the inquiry Ottawa suspended a criminal investigation cooperation treaty with Poland.

Polish press officer Sylvia Domisiewicz explained that the treaty suspension means that Polish authorities are unable to access transcripts, tapes, and other evidence being presented at the inquiry. Polish officials have the authority under Polish law to lay charges against the Canadian policemen who tasered Dziekanski.

Steve Penner contributed to this article.  
 
 
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