Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers face potential charges in Dziekanski tasering death

July 1, 2010

After reviewing the report into the death of Robert Dziekanski at  on October 14, 2007, Special Prosecutor Richard C.C. Peck,  announced he will revisit the British Columbia Attorney General's decision not to charge the four Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers involved.

Mr. Peck cited "factual material that was not available to the Branch at the time [of the initial ... decision]" as the motivation for reviewing the evidence heard at and recommendations of the Braidwood Inquiry into the tasering of Mr. Dziekanski with a view to pressing and prosecuting criminal charges against four RCMP officials involved in the incident.

According to a media release from the British Columbia Ministry of the Attorney General Criminal Justice Branch, Mr. Peck "will examine any other conduct of the four officers in relation to this matter, and in particular their statements to investigators and their testimony at the Braidwood Inquiry [to determine] whether their conduct was at any time contrary to any provisions of the Criminal Code or applicable provincial legislation."

The Polish Embassy in Ottawa welcomed the publication of the Braidwood Inquiry report in a statement on their web site that commended "the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia for leading this public inquiry that showed new evidence and discovered serious errors in the conduct of four RCMP officers that had dealt with Mr. Robert Dziekański at Vancouver International Airport.

"We strongly believe that the findings of the Braidwood Commission should have a follow-up. We therefore expect that the B.C. Criminal Justice Branch will reassess its decision from 12 December 2008 and reopen the criminal investigation or [a] Special Prosecutor will be appointed by the Attorney General."