Mounties to testify in Taser death inquiry

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- An inquiry into the Taser-associated death of an immigrant in Vancouver will include testimony from four Canadian Mounties, a lawyer for the probe said.

Attorney Art Vertlieb told the Canwest News Service under British Columbia law, the retired judge heading the inquiry has the authority to force the four Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers who were present to testify but said he didn't think that would be necessary.

"This is a totally independent commission and this is the best opportunity for people to tell the commission what happened," Vertlieb said.

An amateur videotape shot at Vancouver International Airport on Oct. 14, 2007, shows Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski, 40, behaving in an agitated fashion before RCMP officers subdued him at least twice with an electric stun gun. Dziekanski died soon afterward.

Retired Appeal Court Justice Thomas Braidwood is heading the inquiry, which in June concluded its first phase to determine police policies on the use of the Taser stun guns.

The second phase is to begin Oct. 20.