Prince George RCMP officer receives absolute discharge for assault of suspect
Prince George RCMP officer receives absolute discharge for assault of suspect
A former Prince George Mountie was given an absolute discharge Monday for hitting a handcuffed suspect in a burst of anger following a tense chase and an exchange of gunfire that a prosecutor said left the officer fearing for the lives of his colleagues.
In a brief Vancouver provincial court hearing, Crown counsel Cory Lo said Const. Paul Ste-Marie punched Dilmeet Chahal on the chin with the back of his fist in August 2022 as Chahal sat in a cruiser breathing heavily.
Lo said the officer's actions violated the fundamental principles of the justice system — that prisoners are entitled to be safe and that it's not up to police officers to mete out justice.
But if not excusable, Lo said Ste-Marie's actions were understandable given "unique" circumstances that saw the 27-year-old officer rammed by a vehicle flagged for homicide and gang connections before a foot chase with bullets flying.
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It’s so weird. When you get put in handcuffs here, you automatically expect to get hit, that’s just how it is. And I’m not talking about arrested, I’m just talking about when they put you in handcuffs quote for your own safety“ and then they still take that opportunity to illegally search you or hit you.