Margie Gray says the end of a coronerB次元官网网址檚 inquest into the death of her son has shown the public what she has known all along: that Vancouver police officers beat her son to death when he was vulnerable and needed help.
Gray said the classification of her son Myles GrayB次元官网网址檚 death as homicide by the inquest jury brought her some relief, nearly eight years after he died.
B次元官网网址淧eople know the truth and that to me is a huge, huge piece,B次元官网网址� she said in an interview on Tuesday from her home on British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 Sunshine Coast.
The coroner presiding over the two-week inquest, Larry Marzinzik, had advised the jury before deliberation began that homicide meant death due to injury intentionally inflicted by another person, but itB次元官网网址檚 a neutral term that doesnB次元官网网址檛 imply fault or blame.
B次元官网网址淲e all know thatB次元官网网址檚 what it was,B次元官网网址� Gray said of the classification.
B次元官网网址淭hat came right from (the pathologist).B次元官网网址�
Dr. Matthew Orde, the forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy on GrayB次元官网网址檚 body, told the inquest last week that a B次元官网网址減erfect stormB次元官网网址� of factors led to his death, including his extreme physical exertion as officers struggled to restrain him.
Orde said the 33-year-old died of cardiac arrest complicated by police actions and pointed specifically to B次元官网网址渘eck compression,B次元官网网址� blunt force injuries, the use of pepper spray and holding Gray on his stomach while his arms were handcuffed behind his back.
B次元官网网址淚n the context of someone whoB次元官网网址檚 extremely fatigued, (whose) body is fully ramped up B次元官网网址� I think these issues would be enough to tip him over the edge,B次元官网网址� Orde said.
People who are forcibly restrained on their stomach are at greater risk of death, especially when their body has increased physiological demands, he testified.
The officers who testified at the inquest often used similar language to describe GrayB次元官网网址檚 behaviour, saying he was grunting and yelling in an B次元官网网址渁nimalisticB次元官网网址� way.
They said he displayed B次元官网网址渟uperhuman strengthB次元官网网址� and he didnB次元官网网址檛 seem to be feeling any pain as they punched him in the head and struck him with their batons.
One officer said GrayB次元官网网址檚 screams were B次元官网网址渄emonic.B次元官网网址�
GrayB次元官网网址檚 mother said the officers B次元官网网址渃ouldnB次元官网网址檛 have dehumanized Myles more.B次元官网网址�
She said her son was vulnerable that day, and he needed help.
B次元官网网址淚f you see somebody wearing no shoes, you would get a sense that theyB次元官网网址檙e having a vulnerable moment and what they need is help and compassion,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 need to be beat to death.B次元官网网址�
The pathologist found Gray had a long list of injuries, including a fractured eye socket, nose, rib and voice box, ruptured testicles and extensive bruising.
Orde had originally listed B次元官网网址渆xcited deliriumB次元官网网址� among the possible contributing factors in GrayB次元官网网址檚 death. Many of the 14 Vancouver police officers who testified at the inquest also used the contentious term describing a state of agitation.
However, Orde revised that finding during his testimony at the inquest, saying published data and research suggest itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渜uite unlikelyB次元官网网址� that so-called excited delirium syndrome could independently result in someoneB次元官网网址檚 death.
B次元官网网址淎cute behavioural disturbanceB次元官网网址� is a better description of what Gray was experiencing on the day he died, Orde told the five-member jury.
The juryB次元官网网址檚 verdict on Monday was not unanimous, with four of the five members agreeing.
The jury made two recommendations aimed at the Vancouver Police Department, with expediting the use of body-worn cameras for all patrol officers at the top of the list, followed by enhanced crisis de-escalation training for officers, especially in situations where someone is experiencing a mental-health disturbance.
The initial 911 call on the day Gray died was about an agitated man who was behaving erratically and who had sprayed a woman with a garden hose.
The first police officer who responded to the call told the inquest she called for backup because Gray was acting aggressively and she feared for her safety.
Another officer testified that he was trained in crisis negotiation and initially tried to talk with Gray, but deployed pepper spray as Gray B次元官网网址渃hargedB次元官网网址� at police.
Margie Gray described her son as a gentle soul.
B次元官网网址淔rom what I take from all his friends sharing stories, he was a very positive influence on them. If they were having a bad day or problems in their lives, they turned to him, and Myles tried to motivate them,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 getting stories IB次元官网网址檝e never heard of before, quite often, and itB次元官网网址檚 so nice to hear.B次元官网网址�
Gray said she will be watching for the results of a disciplinary hearing set to take place later this year over the conduct of several officers on the day her son died.
GrayB次元官网网址檚 parents filed a civil lawsuit in 2016 against the City of Vancouver, its police department, the police board and nearly a dozen unnamed officers.
The family hasnB次元官网网址檛 yet had a conversation about how to proceed with the existing civil suit, Gray said, but she assumes they will move ahead with it.
Premier David Eby was asked about the inquest verdict at an unrelated event on Tuesday and said itB次元官网网址檚 a chance to B次元官网网址渞eflect on the terribly tragedy of Mr. GrayB次元官网网址檚 death.B次元官网网址�
The province is looking at the juryB次元官网网址檚 recommendations, as itB次元官网网址檚 important to learn as much as possible to prevent similar deaths from happening in the future, he said.
B次元官网网址淚 just want to send my condolences out to Mr. GrayB次元官网网址檚 family and friends,B次元官网网址� the premier said. B次元官网网址淚t must have been an incredibly difficult process, but IB次元官网网址檓 glad they were able to get the information they (needed) about what happened.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擝renna Owen, The Canadian Press
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