Two B.C. RCMP officers
have been charged with manslaughter in relation to a man’s death during an arrest in 2017 while three of their fellow Mounties have been charged with attempting to obstruct justice.
In a
statement published on Feb. 1, the B.C. Prosecution Service said manslaughter charges have been approved against constables Paul Ste-Marie and Jean Francois Monette following the death of Arthur Culver, also known as Dale Culver, who died in police custody on July 18, 2017.
Sgt. Jon Eusebio Cruz and constables Arthur Dalman and Clarence MacDonald are accused of attempting to obstruct justice.
According to B.C.’s police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO), the incident began around 10.30 p.m. local time when police received a call about a man alleged to be casing parked vehicles in the 1000-block of Central Street West in Prince George.
The IIO said the man allegedly tried to flee on a bicycle when questioned by an officer.
“While attempting to take the man into custody, a struggle ensued between him and the officer and additional officers then arrived. OC (pepper) spray was used,” said the IIO in a
news release on May 29, 2020, after having completed the investigation and issued a recommendation of charges to the prosecution service.
“The male appeared to be having trouble breathing and police requested medical assistance. Officers reported that the male was removed from the police vehicle when Emergency Health Services (EHS) arrived, and collapsed. The male was pronounced deceased shortly thereafter.”
Complaint
In January 2018, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) filed a complaint against the RCMP for “alleged evidence destruction and use of force in police-involved death” of Culver, who was 35 when he died.“Cellphone footage and photos apparently related to the incident appear to show a large number of officers pinning a subject to the ground,” the association said in a
release at the time.
“The BCCLA is aware of troubling allegations that RCMP members told some witnesses to delete cellphone video that they had taken.”
The
complaint argued that should the allegations prove to be true, it would “potentially give rise to criminal liability.”
“This would provide a strong basis on which to question the accuracy of certain RCMP members’ statements to investigators and notes, as well as RCMP public statements,” said the complaint, addressed to the chairperson of the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP at the time.
The prosecution service said Wednesday that the charges were approved by an experienced criminal lawyer who has no prior or current connection with the officers.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
