Disciplinary hearing underway for officer accused of Tasering young man

November 1, 2010
CTV Edmonton

A disciplinary hearing for Const. Mike Wasylyshen is underway Monday. It's been eight years after the controversial incident where the constable is accused of Tasering a young man in the back of a police cruiser.

Wasylyshen is accused of two counts of unlawful exercise of authority and three counts of insubordination.

The charges stem back to October 2002 when a then 16-year-old Randy Fryingpan was found in a vehicle drunk and passed out.

Neighbours called police thinking the vehicle was about to be stolen. An agreed statement of facts showed a Taser was deployed eight times in 68 seconds.

Randy Fryingpan told CTV News last year that at the time of incident he was humiliated when police used excessive force on him.

"All of a sudden I was on the ground getting Tasered I blacked out again and then I woke up in a cop car," said Fryingpan.

Fryingpan sustained a number of injuries in the incident including bruising to his left eye, a broken tooth and burns consistent to those caused by a Taser.

During opening arguments, Wasylyshen's lawyer said: "For the first time we will hear the full story rather than piece meal parts pasted together."

Fryingpan, who is now 25-years-old, began his testimony Monday morning.