Deceased’s daughter takes action against RCMP
The daughter of Grant McLeod, a man who died in police custody two years ago, is taking legal action against members of the Whitehorse RCMP.
The daughter of Grant McLeod, a man who died in police custody two years ago, is taking legal action against members of the Whitehorse RCMP.
In documents filed in Yukon Supreme Court this morning, Elycia Carlick says she suffered, and continues to suffer, damages due to the officers’ alleged breach of duty of care when they arrested her father in August 2008.
Carlick says she has lost the companionship and affection of her father, endured psychological injury, and incurred expenditures for treatment of her psychological injury.
McLeod died shortly after wrestling with police, and one of the officers attempted to put the man in a choke hold.
On the morning of his death, the RCMP were called to the Chilkoot Inn after receiving call about a man staggering around the lobby with a needle in his hand.
When they arrived on the scene, they found McLeod. After struggling with the man, they were able to cuff him.
Shortly afterward, McLeod was unresponsive. He was taken to Whitehorse General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy found the cause of death was a cocaine overdose. A coroner’s inquest into the matter supported that conclusion.
In the documents, Carlick claims her father died during the arrest due to excessive and deadly force by the officers, who allegedly failed to provide first aid care to McLeod.
She says the officers “displayed mob behaviour” while arresting the man. Their conduct was either due to a lack of police procedure and training, or failure to follow policy and procedure during the arrest, she argues.
Furthermore, Carlick says police breached the duty of care owed to her father through “intentionally negligent, grossly negligent, deliberate indifferent, reckless and bad faith conduct.”
The Attorney General of Canada is also listed as a defendant.
Madison Jones
Aug 28, 2010 at 11:15 am
Elycia Carlick, why don’t you sue the drug dealer who sold your father the cocaine he overdosed on? The RCMP aren’t responsible for your father’s actions, he is. The RCMP are responsible for the safety of those in danger from his drug induced behaviour. Luckily they were there to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. Furthermore, where were you when your father was abusing drugs? Why weren’t you helping him with his habit and providing him with “the duty of care” you and your family owed to your father? The RCMP should sue you for not getting your father treatment and for endangering the officers lives. Did I miss the part in the inquiry where it was the officers who injected your father with cocaine? Is open season on the RCMP? Should I sue because I got a speeding ticket? It’s not my fault they caught me on Radar. Your lawsuit is frivolous. Lawsuits like this will only prevent officers from attending future calls like these and then where will we all be? The RCMP deserve so much more praise than the daily tabloid style media bash we see everyday. God bless the RCMP. Thank you for risking your lives for the sake of ours.