Who Has The Best Story? One Man's Opinion

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 03:51 AM

As you sit and watch the proceedings here in Houston at the inquest into the RCMP shooting death of Ian Bush , you cant help but wonder who is representing society?

On one hand you have the RCMP complete with their experts, who they say are completely impartial, and surely they could argue that they are. They unfortunately were investigating one of their own, that in itself would cast the first cloud of doubt.

At the Inquest you have two divergent views, that being put forward by the police, who did the investigation, the other by the lawyer for the family who paints quite a different picture.

The ingredient that is nowhere to be found? Well they say on either side of an argument, that somewhere in the middle lies the Truth. Who was in the middle, detached from either side, to investigate? Who was truly independent when they examined the scene, the photos?

The answer is simple....no one.

The RCMP have a duty to the officer in question by providing top notch legal advice, it is paid for by the Force. The officer also has the benefit of his organization, but more over he will find within his peer officers who will be able to fill in any gaps that may be missing and to give advice from an investigating officers point of view.

You may suggest that you have never met Constable Koester, the officer in question in this Inquest, but I for one, would be asking what the hell went on if I arrived in a detachment to find a dead man in the interview room with a bullet to the back of the head.

The story in fact may play out in favor of the police officer, society on the other hand sits in the gallery at the inquest wondering (some silently, others verbally) how you can say that an impartial investigation was conducted when it involves one of your own?

The RCMP can argue until the cows come home that they investigate their own in a more diligent manner, the people in the Inquest hall watching the proceedings think very differently.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion

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Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 03:51 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: heidi1555 on May 23 2007 9:32 AM

Yes it's crazy isn't it? The RCMP must go through this process and are quite aware their story no matter how far from factual truth it may be will be the one that goes down in the record books. All the power and control is in their hands and they know there is nothing we can do about it. They say what they say just to get the inquest over and done with. The Bush family didn't ask to be there or put in the situation of losing a loved one yet they are treated like the enemy. I don't care who you are if you take the life of someone you should be put on a fair trial because you know what blame isn't just a word in the dictionary and netiher is accountability.

Posted by: Gofaster on May 23 2007 6:01 PM

The family wants answers and I hope that they will get them and will be happy with the results of this inquest.
And I too think the answers lie somewhere out there..

I wish the family peace and satisfactory answers to all those questions....and I feel for their loss....

Posted by: Chadermando on May 23 2007 7:23 PM

I would think nothing would be satisfatory for the family after an incident like this one. The only peace for them can come when tha man who killed their loved one is charged and goes to a trial for his alleged crimes.

We don't live in the Soviet Union, but you could tell that by the accountability of the RCMP for their crimes.

Posted by: Chadermando on May 23 2007 7:24 PM

you could not tell that by the accountability of the RCMP.

should have been....

Posted by: duffer on May 23 2007 7:58 PM

I feel sorry for the Bush family as well. I would not want to lose one of my children. On the other hand, the only people we have heard from are the friends and family of the deceased. Is there anyone out there that knows this person in a different light? No one has said that. Perhaps he was the upstanding model of society that we have heard about. Perhaps not. Most of us, myself included, have some things in our past that the general population would not be impressed with. We have only heard one side of the story and there are usually more than that.

Posted by: owl on May 24 2007 8:29 AM

"Most of us, myself included, have some things in our past that the general population would not be impressed with"

Which is a reason to kill? Surely to God I hope we have not come to that!

Police officers simply cannot be seen to have a temper. They have to be taught, and those who teach them have to ensure that the lesson is learned, that they cannot react emotionally to an incident while it is in progress. In addition, they must be capable to physically stay in control of a situation.

So what about taser vs pistol?

Posted by: whynotyou on May 25 2007 11:57 AM

duffer - I have to comment on your comment. Ian Bush was a well known and well liked individual who deserved respect because he earned it, I never knew him personally but I know several key people in the Houston community whose only words about him were good ones. When this happened it was a terrific shock to that community. How could something so innocent turn so brutal? While we have heard no negative comments on the character of Ian Bush, we have - on the other hand - heard negative comments from people who experienced and witnessed first hand the attitude of the constable involved in the shooting....