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Thursday, July 05, 2007

Renewed plea for independent investigation into deaths in police custody

July 5, 2007
CKNW, Vancouver

The sister of a man who died after being stunned with a Vancouver police taser three years ago has renewed her plea for an independent body to investigate the deaths of people in police custody. Patti Gillman has been closely watching the Ian Bush inquest in Houston. Gillman has long been lobbying against the practice of police investigating themselves.

In May, a coroner's jury investigating the death of her brother --Robert Bagnell -- did not make any recommendations for changes in how police custody fatalities are reviewed. Gillman says she was disappointed to hear the coroner overseeing the Bush inquest has also decided not to factor that issue into his investigation.

In a statement on her blog, she's demanding changes at the federal level ... saying "only through unbiased police oversight will we ever hope to see a reduction in excessive force and corruption in Canadian police forces."

The inquest into the October, 2005 death of Ian Bush is expected to wrap up tomorrow.

The 22-year old mill worker was shot in the back of the head during a struggle with rookie officer Paul Koester at the Houston RCMP detachment.

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