[news] Charges laid against six police officers

[resist admin]

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Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 19:59:05 -0800 (PST)
From: sabate <sabate at ziplip.com>

Charges laid against six police officers

canada.com

Friday, March 21, 2003

VANCOUVER (CP) -- Six Vancouver police officers have been charged in
connection with the alleged beating of three men in Stanley Park.

The officers, all of whom have less than five years experience, were
jointly charged Friday with assault, assault with a weapon and attempting
to obstruct justice.

The officers allegedly picked up three men on downtown Granville St. on
Jan. 14, took them to Stanley Park and beat them.

One of the men who claims to be a victim of the attack is Barry Lawrie, a
drug addict, who said he was beaten so severely that two weeks later his
testicles still ached and his lips were still split.

He said he was bounced around from police officer to police officer like a
basketball.

He alleged police also warned him that if he spoke about what happened he
would end up dead from a heroin overdose.

Vancouver police chief Jamie Graham urged people not to assume the
officers' guilt before they've had their day in court.

"We must all understand and respect that criminal law is based on fairness
and, that all persons must not be convicted before their legal right to a
fair trial," he said in a news release.

"The public is entitled to expect professionalism, honesty and
unquestionable ethical behaviour from police. It is incumbent upon us to
instil in our officers the clear expectation of these virtues and to
expect nothing less."

The six officers were suspended with pay in January while an investigation
was conducted.

They were in court Friday to hear the charges against them read out and
were released until their next court appearance on Apr. 11.