Outside police agency to investigate Taser allegations against Manitoba RCMP

December 21, 2009
The Canadian Press

WINNIPEG — An outside police force is going to investigate a Manitoba man's allegations that RCMP officers used excessive force in firing a stun gun at him.

Matthew Gray of Portage la Prairie says he was beaten and hit with a Taser while he was handcuffed in an ambulance in 2003. Gray filed a private prosecution against several RCMP officers, and Manitoba Justice has appointed a special prosecutor to take over the case.

That prosecutor, Marty Minuk, told court an outside police agency will investigate the allegations and report back in the new year.

Gray, who is 47, is a former soldier who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and called a hospital psychiatric ward for help in June 2003.

RCMP court documents say Gray was handcuffed at his own request and became extremely aggressive in the ambulance.