BURNABY, B.C. — A coroner's inquest will be held this week into the 2013 suicide of a former Burnaby RCMP media relations office who provided the first reports on the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski following a confrontation with police at Vancouver's airport.
Sgt. Pierre Lemaitre briefly acted as the face of the Mounties after Dziekanski was jolted multiple times with a police Taser during the 2007 confrontation.
Lemaitre, who was 55 when he died, had said that Dziekanski was combative and that only two bursts from the Taser were used to subdue him.
A civilian video later showed those statements were incorrect, but Lemaitre testified at an inquiry into the death that he released details provided by homicide detectives.
The inquiry concluded Lemaitre may not have known the information was wrong, but by then he had been transferred out of media relations.
A lawsuit filed by the officer's widow after his death and settled out of court alleged Lemaitre had been made a scapegoat in the Dziekanski case.
Deputy chief coroner Vincent Stancato and a jury will hear evidence in Burnaby from witnesses under oath to determine the facts surrounding the suicide.
Coroner's office spokesman Andy Watson said in an emailed statement that jurors will have the opportunity to make recommendations to prevent deaths under similar circumstances.
He said an inquest can be ordered if the chief coroner believes a "death resulted from a dangerous practice or circumstance."
Watson's statement also said an inquest is held if the chief coroner "has reason to believe that the public has an interest in being informed of the circumstances surrounding the death."
- With files from Canadian Press
