Lawyers representing more than half of the families of the victims of the April 2020 shooting in Nova Scotia are boycotting four days of public inquest hearings because they could not directly question the two police officers.
Rob Pineoa lawyer from Patterson’s Law, said his clients instructed their legal team not to attend Mass Loss Commission hearings this week and for two days next week. His company represents the families of the 14 people killed and several others severely affected by the shooting that killed 22 people in April 2020.
In a press release, he explained that his customers are discouraged and even more traumatized by the decision of the commissioners to authorize that Staff Sergeant Brian Rehill and the sergeant Andy O’Brien just ask the Massive Losses Commission lawyers conducting the investigation.
The lawyer said he wanted to send his client’s group a clear message that he will not be associated with the restricted investigative process for such critical evidence.
Tara Millerrepresenting the relatives ofAaron Tuck and of Kristen Beatonwho was pregnant when she was killed, says her clients were deeply disappointed and boycott the hearings.
Families are waiting a very long time to hear the questions in their own words, or with their lawyerhe recalled.
High -ranking officials
Brian Rehill is the Risk Manager at the Operational Communications Center of RCMP when the first 911 call arrived from Portapique, Nova Scotia.
In addition to supervising dispatchers, he made the initial decisions on containment enforcement and on the destination of the first responders.
Andy O’Brien is the county operations noncommissioned officer Colchester at that time, meaning he was responsible for the detachment’s day-to-day operations RCMP ng Bible Hill.
On April 18, he helped coordinate the rapid response from his home by talking to field officials.
The National Police Federation (NPF) and the Attorney General of Canada requested that the two officers provide their evidence by affidavit, and the Staff Sergeant Al Carroll personally testify and will only be questioned by the Commission’s counsel.
Al Carroll was the district commander in April 2020 and was part of the team of commanders working night shifts at the fire station in Great Village.
The Mass Casualty Commission decided on Tuesday thatAl Carroll will testify live on Thursday through Zoom and can be asked by all lawyers.
however, Brian Rehill at Andy O’Brien will testify at the hearings on May 30 and 31 via pre-recorded video interviews.
Only the commission’s attorneys, or the commissioners themselves, will ask questions directly to the officers. Lawyers for the families of the victims can submit questions in advance.
For me Joshua Brysonrepresenting the families of Joy at Peter Bond, it is not a suitable substitute.
The lawyer has some questions for Brian Rehill. Among other things, he wanted to know if he was considering the information received about a rear exit for the Portapique community and if he had considered deploying agents to block this road before 5 am.
Joshua Bryson will also boycott the hearings next week.
If we are so marginalized, it really doesn’t make sense if we are here to participate.he said.
For the health of the police
The commission’s decision takes into account the information about the health of officers, which is private.
Chief Commissioner Michael MacDonald did not acknowledge the boycott in his opening speech Wednesday morning.
He said pre-recorded testimony will help the investigation to get the best evidence while providing the flexibility to schedule plenty of rest and the necessary support.
The rules of the inquest state that anyone who has been subpoenaed as a witness may submit a request for things such as extra breaks, having someone support them, or submitting an affidavit instead of live testimony.
Three other witnesses also requested accommodation. The commissioners denied one of the requests and decided to allow two witnesses to testify at a panel. The documents did not disclose the names of these witnesses.
With information from Elizabeth McMillan ng CBC
Source: Radio-Canada
