Dziekanski's death following Taser jolts no coincidence: expert

The fatal heart arrhythmia that led to cardiac arrest was caused by Dziekanski's struggle with the RCMP, the use of the Taser, or a combination of the two, [Dr. G.K.] Chambers, an emergency room physician and an expert in cause of death, testified Thursday ... "The video shows us that the greater impact on Mr. Dziekanski was the Tasering," Chambers testified.

See Dr. Chambers' complete written opinion here.



May 14, 2009
CBC News

Robert Dziekanski's death after an RCMP officer jolted him five times with a Taser stun gun was no coincidence, a physician told the Braidwood inquiry on Thursday.

Dr. G.K. Chambers, an epidemiologist based in Vancouver, rejected the suggestion put forward by a lawyer for Taser International — the firm that manufactures the electrical stun gun — at the inquiry, which is looking into the death of the Polish immigrant at Vancouver International Airport on Oct. 14, 2007.

The fatal heart arrhythmia that led to cardiac arrest was caused by Dziekanski's struggle with the RCMP, the use of the Taser, or a combination of the two, Chambers, an emergency room physician and an expert in cause of death, testified Thursday.

And, he said, the video of the event shot by a witness makes it obvious which was the more aggravating factor.

"The video shows us that the greater impact on Mr. Dziekanski was the Tasering," Chambers testified.

Chambers said that prior to Dziekanski's fatal confrontation with the Mounties, he was fine, even though he had spent a stressful nine hours trapped at the airport following a 20-hour flight from Poland.

David Neave, the lawyer for Taser International, suggested Chambers was speculating, and that Dziekanski's death was simply a coincidence.

Chambers said he couldn't disagree more.

"If the way out of this problem is to stick our heads in the sand and say this was coincidence, then I think we are doing society a disservice," Chambers said.

"I think it is incumbent upon us to give our best opinion, but to say it's just coincidence — it's just wrong."