Next phase of Taser inquiry includes RCMP and Polish government representative

Former B.C. Supreme Court Justice Thomas Braidwood will reconvene the inquiry in October, even though the B.C. Crown prosecution's office hasn't yet made a decision on whether to lay charges in Dziekanski's death.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team handed in a report to the Crown a few months ago on the actions of the four police officers at Vancouver International Airport last October 14.

A spokesman for the Crown prosecutions office, Neil MacKenzie, said no decision had been made on charges.

Dziekanski was sweating profusely and acting erratically at Vancouver's airport when police confronted him.

A bystander's video showed Dziekanski screaming in agony as police shocked him with a Taser and held the would-be immigrant to the floor.

Commission lawyer Art Vertlieb said the government of Poland has asked to be represented at the inquiry "to take what ever position they think they wish to take."

The commission has the power to subpoena people to testify, but Vertlieb hopes they won't have to use legal force.

"The commission is the best chance for people to come and explain what happened and have a totally independent organization assess what happened and make findings."

He said the commission will hear from members of the RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency, emergency personal who administered first aid to Dziekanski and many others who may have been connected to the incident.

Those testifying will give evidence under oath and can be cross-examined.

"It's an inquiry in the full sense of the traditional Canadian inquiry," Vertlieb added.

The inquiry will not be limited to the time of death and will be looking at events leading up to Dziekanski's trip from Poland to Vancouver and the hours he spent waiting in the airport and the aftermath, Vertlieb said.

A public furor erupted after the bystander's video was released showing police using their Tasers on Dziekanski.

The video was viewed by millions around the world on the Internet and television.

Braidwood has already heard from dozens of people in the first phase of his inquiry looking into police use of the 50,000-volt weapons.

He will hand in that report to B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal by October.

This inquiry is one of a dozen investigations launched after the death, including a review by the Ontario Provincial Police, the B.C. Coroner's office, the RCMP Public Complaints Commission and a House of Commons committee inquiry.

The head of the Mountie's complaints commission, Paul Kennedy, has called for more restraint by police when they use the weapon and said officers must get immediate medical attention for people they jolt with a Taser.

He stopped short of calling for a moratorium.

An all-party Commons public safety committee unanimously recommended that police scale back their use of the Taser by the end of this year.