No charges laid in police watchdog probe into man seriously injured in RCMP arrest
No charges have been laid following a police watchdog investigation into an RCMP arrest that ended with a man sustaining serious injuries, including a collapsed lung.
The probe was launched on July 9, 2021, when RCMP advised the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU) of Manitoba of an incident that happened earlier that morning in Portage la Prairie, Man.
According to the unit, an adult male, alleged to be in contravention of a release order, resisted an arrest and refused to get into a police vehicle.
According to the IIU report, he was eventually put in the cruiser car and taken to the detachment.
Once there, he complained of having trouble breathing and was transported to Portage District General Hospital where he was examined.
He was returned the following day for X-rays, which found he had a collapsed lung and multiple fractured ribs, the report read. As these are considered serious injuries, the IIU was mandated to investigate.
Civilian director Zane Tessler designated three RCMP officers as subject officers and three others as witness officers.
Tessler also interviewed two civilian witnesses and consulted with a physician for an opinion on the potential injury.
Investigators also obtained RCMP file material, including radio transmissions, officers’ notes and cell video.
After Tessler finished his investigation, he requested a review and opinion from Manitoba Prosecution Services (MPS) on whether any criminal charges should be authorized against anyone referenced in the probe.
The MPS ultimately concluded there was no basis for any criminal charges.
“While it is always in the public interest to hold police officers accountable, there must also be a reasonable likelihood of conviction for MPS to prosecute a matter,” the MPS opinion read.
“In this case, after considering all of the evidence and the medical opinion, we have concluded that we are not satisfied that there is a reasonable likelihood of conviction.”
The IIU said it has now completed its investigation and the matter is now closed.
The full report can be read on the IIU’s website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.