Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

Man beaten by Vancouver police kind, loyal: sister

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Apr, 2023 01:34 PM
  • Man beaten by Vancouver police kind, loyal: sister

BURNABY, B.C. - The sister of a man beaten to death during a confrontation with Vancouver police says the officers involved should lose their jobs.

Melissa Gray says the death of her brother, Myles, more than seven years ago has devastated their family members, who have been waiting for accountability from the officers and the police department.

Myles Gray, 33, died on Aug. 13, 2015, following a beating involving seven officers that sent him into cardiac arrest and left him with a broken eye socket, a partially dislocated jaw, a crushed voice box and a ruptured testicle and other injuries.

His sister told the media on Monday as the coroner's inquest into the man's death began that those officers "stole her brother's life" and don't deserve to continue in their jobs in policing.

British Columbia's Prosecution Service declined to approve criminal charges against the officers in 2020, saying they were the only eyewitnesses to the man's death and offered accounts described as incomplete and sometimes inconsistent.

Gray was the first to testify at the inquest, telling the jury her brother was goofy, kind and loyal. He made friends and made people laugh wherever he went, she said.

"We take comfort knowing that Myles was innocent," she said.

The decision by the Crown not to pursue charges against the officers involved in the beating left the family feeling “broken and hopeless,” Gray told the inquest.

She said her brother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after an episode in high school around 1999, but to her knowledge he was stable after that and was never unemployed.

Officers had originally been called to a report of someone in a mental health crisis, and Gray says police need to learn to recognize those situations and be able to verbally de-escalate such an event.

"If someone is having a mental health crisis and they aren't wearing shoes and they aren't wearing a shirt, they should be able to identify that and they should treat them more humanely," Grey told the media before testifying.

The inquest's witness list indicates coroner Larry Marzinzik and a jury will hear testimony from 41 people over 10 days, including the officers directly involved in the beating.

The BC Coroners Service said the jury can't make findings of "legal responsibility," but can only make recommendations to prevent future deaths under similar circumstances.

MORE National ARTICLES

David Johnston is foreign interference rapporteur

David Johnston is foreign interference rapporteur
Johnston has been asked to look into allegations of foreign meddling in Canada's last two federal elections and recommend what the Liberal government should do about it. That could include a public inquiry, which opposition parties have been calling for, or some other form of investigation.

David Johnston is foreign interference rapporteur

Suspect on the Loose in West Vancouver Armed Robbery

Suspect on the Loose in West Vancouver Armed Robbery
The suspect entered the gas station, produced a handgun, pointed the handgun at the cashier and demanded money. The suspect obtained an undisclosed amount of cash from the cash register before fleeing on foot. 

Suspect on the Loose in West Vancouver Armed Robbery

Abbotsford Police car targeted and shot at with a pellet gun

Abbotsford Police car targeted and shot at with a pellet gun
As officers approached the group in their unmarked police vehicle, a female emerged from the group and pointed a firearm toward the officer's vehicle and fired, striking the police vehicle's windshield, and causing minor damage.

Abbotsford Police car targeted and shot at with a pellet gun

Collision in New Westminster leaves one dead

Collision in New Westminster leaves one dead
The collision has caused a local power outage and city crews have been on scene.  If motorists encounter an intersection with no power, they are asked to treat the intersection as a four way stop.

Collision in New Westminster leaves one dead

Vancouver Folk Festival will return for 2023

Vancouver Folk Festival will return for 2023
A statement on the festival's website says it will be held July 14 to 16 at its usual location in Vancouver's Jericho Beach Park. Last year's scaled back festival will be used as a template to plan this year's program, with fewer stages and amenities than were offered before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vancouver Folk Festival will return for 2023

Burnaby RCMP investigation leads to major drug bust at a home close to a school and a daycare

Burnaby RCMP investigation leads to major drug bust at a home close to a school and a daycare
Two magazines seized from this residence had the capacity to hold 27 and 50 rounds. Along with the drugs and weapons, around $10,000 in cash, a large amount of drug packaging, equipment for re-pressing drugs and two vehicles were seized.    

Burnaby RCMP investigation leads to major drug bust at a home close to a school and a daycare