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Inquest into police killing of Fredy Villanueva
February 25, 2011 - 10:04am
This is potentially a huge victory for the many community organizations that have condemned the government's refusal to hold a broader inquiry and to treat the victims on an equal footing with the cops, whose high-priced legal help is paid by the taxpayers. This led to the Villanueva family boycotting the inquest. The coroner has now denounced this situation and said that a proper inquiry can't be held under these circumstances. This will be hugely embarrassing for the Liberals.
The most detailed report so far is in La Presse, but there are reports in English at CBC.ca and no doubt elsewhere.
Unfortunately I can't edit the thread title, but I don't want to leave the impression that this is just about legal fees. The root problem is the Charest government's refusal to hold a full public inquiry. The Villanueva family had already said they would not participate as interested parties (although they would obviously be required to testify if called) even if the government paid for lawyers. Likewise, community groups who lobbied for standing had already announced they were boycotting. The police, by the way, have seven lawyers representing them in all (individual cops have their own lawyers, plus the police service, plus the "brotherhood").
This is turning into a huge story in Montréal today.
I am glad you modified the OP because today's major development is not only the suspension of the inquest but the government now saying it is ready to pay for legal fees. Why? Because the judge has finagled from one of the witnesses - yesterday - the fact that the Villanovas would boycott the process even if they were provided with funding for lawyers, because they - and the community - want a full inquest into the racial profiling and police violence that has been rampant in Montreal.
So the Charest government can now pretend that this not about justice and people's right to due process, but about politics and not letting minorities force its hand.
I don't think (at least I hope not) that the government can spin this in any positive way. They've essentially been condemned by a sitting judge acting as coroner, who's saying that under the parameters set for him, the full truth can never come out. This is the best possible time to demand a public inquiry with full examination of the "root causes", and I hope the organizations that have been lobbying for this take full advantage of the situation. Can you imagine how energizing such an inquiry with wide-open mandate could be?
Absolutely. Which is presumably why the Charest govt is finally acceding to requests for lawyers, but will do everything to nix a public inquiry that could dwell into the fortysomething murders of Montrealers - many of them from minority groups - by our police officers these last few years.
(Sometimes, I am a pessimist.)
Things are moving fast.
The PQ issued a news release demanding that the government cover legal fees.
Québec solidaire (Amir Khadir) issued another release demanding that the government announce a public inquiry which would be enlarged to include issues of "social and economic exclusion" and racial profiling in police intervention and arrests. They also demanded that Public Security Minister Jacques Dupuis be withdrawn from the file, having lost the confidence of all concerned.
And last but not least, as martin pointed out above, Dupuis has announced in the Assemblée nationale that if the judge acting as coroner makes the request, the government will pay for lawyers for the two witnesses and the family.
Scramble, hide, damage control...
"Quebec government, judge spar over inquest: Probe halted as coroner questions 'credibility,' but Public Security Minister says it must proceed"
http://tinyurl.com/ow7mql
... Public Security Minister Jacques Dupuis attempted to put a lid on the controversy, saying it's up to the judge acting as coroner to decide on funding and the scope of questioning ...
Under Quebec law, coroner's inquests don't have the authority to expand investigations. Provincial Ombudsman Raymonde Saint-Germain said yesterday she is examining whether interested parties should have a voice at all inquests, and not rely on government fiat to make exceptions ...The Ombudsman is also examining proposals to change the way police forces investigate each other after fatal confrontations with citizens.
Attorney General Jacques Dupuis is presently on Radio-Canada arguing forcibly against any widening of the inquest's mandate, claiming to represent the Villanueva family's will to "simply know what happened", quoting "many observers" to the fact that everything is fine now that the lawyers' fees will be paid. Dupuis refuses to answer to questions about what will the government do if the family sticks to its position of wanting a full public inquiry.
Community groups are organizing a two-day show, called "Hoodstock", on August 8 and 9, to commemorate the killing of Fredy Villanueva:
Read about it en français.
Here's an English-language article about the event:
The coroner's inquest had its last session of the year. Right now, one of the two cops (Stéphanie Pilotte) whose partner shot and killed Fredy Villanueva and wounded two others is on the witness stand, and she will continue when the hearing resumes in February.
I can't find decent coverage on the web, so I'll quote some excerpts from this morning's Gazette, under the title:
Profiling arises at probe
We start with the lawyer for the city and the police ridiculing the notion that racial profiling might be at play:
Then this revelation:
Yes, the park was much more peaceful after one unarmed youth was killed and two others wounded while doing nothing wrong.
The cops had called for backup - but then opened fire 13 seconds later:
Young people of colour really must learn to watch their language while in the park if they want to come home alive.
Villanueva supporters hold rally at courthouse
'First time' cop fired gun on job, Fredy Villanueva inquiry hears
Officer recounts seconds before Villanueva shooting
Montreal police officer explains month-long delay in Fredy Villanueva report
Unionist? One sentence or less, please.
The coroner's inquest resumed in January; the female cop testified; now the killer cop has been on the witness stand for 3 days.
Villanueva mother breaks down at inquest
Although I don't believe in Hell, I am certain there is a special place reserved there for Boisvert.
Inquest witness who was shot during Villanueva killing says cops roughed him up over the weekend
"Stop! Stop!" Fredy yelled: Witness
It is my conclusion that the working class needs to hold their own Citizens Inquiries.
We can never expect the bourgeios state to properly investigate itself.
'Shots could have hit anyone': Villanueva witness
200 march to commemorate 2nd anniversary of Fredy Villanueva's killing
Shooting unjustified, expert tells Villanueva inquest
Thanks for keeping us up-to-date.
The coroner's inquest is over at long last, and now we await his report.
"Police everywhere! Justice nowhere!"
Jeffrey Sagor-Metellus gets six months in jail for theft
Meanwhile, the cop who killed Fredy and shot Jeffrey in the back is still free.
There is no justice.
Prior to the dissolution of Parliament, Justin Trudeau wrote to Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews, asking him to stop the expulsion process against Dany Villanueva [Rue Frontenac]. Trudeau says that the fact that the expulsion process was put into motion at the very end of the five-year rehabilitation period (Dany Villanueva has been convicted in 2006 of possession of a firearm and robbery), while the inquest into the killing of his brother was ongoing, renders the decision suspect [La Presse].
I still hope Vivian Barbot wins in Papineau, but good on Trudeau for taking this stance.
Yeah, I saw that report - and I agree with you on both counts!!
Unsurprising update - Jason Kenney must have felt the pain of Trudeau's "anti-immigrant" charge, so he's fighting back:
Justin Trudeau's comments on Villanueva are "ridiculous", according to Jason Kenney
In short, Kenney says: Anti-immigrant? Who, me? Look at all the immigrants we've admitted to Canada! Anyway, it's not a political decision who gets in and who gets tossed out, it's up to the legal system.
Well, he's partly right I guess. Kenney tried to keep George Galloway out, but the legal system let him in.
I wonder if Kenney is secretly supporting Justin Trudeau's campaign? He's certainly making him look good by contrast.
Vigil commemorates anniversary of Fredy Villanueva's death at the hands of police
Two years later, the inquest judge has still not issued his report. The city and the police brotherhood are still engaged in obstructive court actions, at public expense. Meanwhile, phony hearings are set for next September for cops who removed memorial posters to Fredy in Henri-Bourassa park in 2010.
Justice will be done one day.
Not by this system.