Justice Must be Served:One Man's Opinion

Friday, July 06, 2007 04:03 AM

In a few hours, the Coroner’s Jury will begin deliberations into the death of Ian Bush.

Bush was shot dead in the back of the head by Constable Paul Koester after being arrested for failing to give the proper name at a hockey game in the community.

He had been standing there, holding a beer for some friends, when police approached, asked him to dump the beer and then placed him in the police car, where he gave his friend’s name instead of his own, resulting in an obstruction of justice charge.

The whole affair cries out for a public inquiry.

The evidence taken by the RCMP on one of their own was shabby at best. At one point Constable Paul Koester’s mother said that her son would not give a statement because he wasn’t feeling up to it, and the investigating officers went away.

If I have sounded on the side of the dead young man, it is hard to take any other position given that I have always felt that my job in the media is to be a mouth piece for those who have no voice. If I am criticized for taking that position, given the circumstances I am about to relate to you, fire away.

Each day I have attended a police shooting death inquest, (first Kevin St Arnaud, shot dead by a Vanderhoof RCMP officer and now Ian Bush) I see three lawyers representing , the RCMP, The RCMP Police Association and a lawyer representing, in this case, Constable Paul Koester.

At the back of the room will be from 10 to 15 police officers all assisting those lawyers in some form or another .

The RCMP have even sent along their own mouth piece in an information officer, just in case that you want to get a comment from them on any facet of their involvement.

You and I, as taxpayers, are paying for that exercise, while on the other side of the room (in both cases) a lawyer working for nothing, is helping the family along with the cross examination.

In Vanderhoof the mother of the dead man took a seat at the lawyers table and can you image what impact she could have faced with lawyers who are billing 3 to 5 hundred dollars an hour across the way?

We in the media have a responsibility to ensure that everyone is treated in a fair manner regardless of whether they are Jimmy Pattison or Linda Bush.

Howard Rubin, the Bush family’s lawyer, works for nothing, so did the prime witness for the defense Joseph Slemko. Slemko was taken through the hoops for being there to give testimony and what he believed was right, as he said "to seek the truth."

I am here hoping that everyone will have a level playing field in the matter and believe me, without the media here that would not take place.

So if it looks like I have leaned towards the family, fill your hat, because I wonder aloud what they would be doing without someone to plead their case. You may recall that back in October 2005 the RCMP said a young man had been shot at the police station in Houston following an altercation with a police officer.

Do you think that Ian Bush, crying out from the grave, would have been heard without us...?

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

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Posted on Friday, July 06, 2007 04:03 AM in Views by Ben Meisner

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Comments

Posted by: Truth on July 6 2007 4:15 AM

Howard Rubin is a retired prosecutor who became a civil rights advocate. Guilty mind, I guess. Edmonton police service - where Joseph Slemko serves - is in a reform mode, after abominable administration. City cops are notorious for rivalling the RCMP. When RCMP investigators substantiated 12 complaints against Vancouver cops, VPD's Chief, Jamie Graham, ordered an inquiry that refuted all the substantiations. And he did it at a cost of $200,000. Graham didn't dare ask for a contract renewal. He is going out to pasture.

For the ignorant: Justice Institute standards require only 65 days schooling (plus internship) to become a cop. What the hell do barely educated cops know that we don't? If you want personal security, buy a Rotweiler. Cops are less than useless.

Posted by: Truth on July 6 2007 4:17 AM

Mr Meisner:

Can you post the Coroner's Report here? It will likely be only 5 or 6 pages. I have copies of several other reports.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on July 6 2007 8:11 AM

So now we await a verdict and it is not just a verdict in the Ian Bush case.
It is verdict on the justice system period AND the RCMP, who DO NOT need anymore bad press!
The system itself is under the microscope as much as Koester and Bush.
It was also announced this morning that a new RCMP comissioner has been chosen from outside the force.
It is about time!

Posted by: heidi1555 on July 6 2007 9:11 AM

I should have posted my last comment here instead:
"I'mmmmm hommmmme from Houston!!!! Troll how i've missed you!!!!! Troll I agree that conspiracy theory is goofy but the brotherhood they have isn't so goofy now is it?
It's like the good RCMP officers have a healthy brotherhood and hovering above them is the dark cloud of the RCMP members who have a sick version of brotherhood. We need more Joe Slemko's in this world who can keep pushing through that dark cloud. Joe Slemko has a true love for his job and the truth. He is a beautiful man."

Posted by: valerie on July 6 2007 10:21 AM

The RCMP are a cult by the definition of cult.
What is needed is an inquiry into the whole Canadian Force.
Each area of Canada has it's stories dating back to before I was ever born.
This is the time in history they will be called on their actions.
My heart is with the Bush family at this time.
The Mountie involved should never carry a gun again if he cannot be proven innocent without a doubt. Also his superiors should have to answer to what they were doing to someone other than their own cult.

Posted by: heidi1555 on July 6 2007 10:52 AM

I agree totally Valerie....just wasnt sure if I could say "cult". :)

I mentioned before that I know a few officers and this is what one of them said to me in a message the other day:
" Well Heidi i don't really know whats going on it sounds like there is a lot of corruption in the police system there. But that is here as well. i really don't know what to tell you I am confused about it to. The thing is that none of us will ever know what actually happened the nights these individuals lives were taken.
I know in the police world the brotherhood is very strong we don't want to see anything happen to our partners but there comes that time that we have to decide what is right and wrong. And in this case i believe that line has been crossed. i really don't know what to tell you except that i am sorry for what happened to these individuals i I try to understand the pain that the families are going through but I have never had to experience anything like that so i don't know."

Posted by: trollunderthebridge on July 6 2007 10:57 AM

Truth, can you spare us the links to the twenty year old decisions, reports, Greek police brutality, etc.How about something relevant to the topic for a change? I still want to know more about your numerous lawsuits and massive database.

Posted by: Truth on July 6 2007 11:46 AM

Troll:

You sound upset and desperate. Put on your Star Trek outfit; it might make you happy.

Posted by: heidi1555 on July 6 2007 11:57 AM

Yes troll its people like you who are keeping 'change' from happening. Why are you so afraid to live in a world that has better policing?

Posted by: trollunderthebridge on July 6 2007 12:35 PM

No,I support change, anything to improve policing and I hope something useful comes out of the coroner's report.The incident is a tragedy on all sides.Mr Meisner has given his opinion above and I respect that.
As for the TRUTH, all he/or she has done is spout off a bunch of drivel with no factual basis and responds to questions with insults. He is all over the map with his links to supreme court decisions. He does not have any clue as to the databases available to the VPD or the RCMP. He clearly has too much tinfoil wrapped around his head. I'd be shocked if he ever left his basement.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on July 6 2007 12:38 PM

In regards to Valerie's comment on the RCMP being refered to as a "cult", it is actually a term thrown around a lot in regards to the RCMP.
I had a retired RCMP member that I know well tell me that himself recently.
That's what happens when you isolate yourself to only a select few.
They are very aware of the reference of "cult".
IMO,the RCMP are far too isolated from the general public to the point of being out of touch with the average joe.
They deal with people everyday but, do they really "see" us as equals or is the general public inferior?
I think it is a mistake to think that because you are a member,you are "different" than the rest of us.
And being a member does NOT make you superior to the rest of us either.
This same retired cop also said that kind of mentality started away up at the top and rolled downhill.
Hanging out with joe average was not considered to be a wise thing to do, so most of them just don't do it to any degree.
I also believe that is a mentality that is instilled right at depot during training.
Hopefully having a new head honcho from outside the force will help curb some of that attitude.
They are just people and ALL people make mistakes.
They have the same warts and moles that we all do, and I really think an attitude adjustment is long overdue.
There seems to be a sickness within the RCMP and the only thing that will cure that is change and a reality check!

Posted by: valerie on July 7 2007 6:43 PM

As an ER nurse, I could tell you stories about the TCMP that are almost as bad as the people they bring in.But I won't. The
mindset is to see the person who you consider bad as separate from you and your family. That is not so and I learned early on that my family was just as capable of ending up in jail or the ER as the people I saw.
When you see yourself as 'eclusive" that is when problems begin. Some of these officers see such horrible things that they try to separate themselves as an illusion that it will never happen to them. It is a concentrated effort to chose to go through your job "unconcious". It hurts less that way, they think.
The officer I heard on the tape should never have been given a gun or the opportunity . I have looked after 22 yr old beer drinkers for 30 yrs and RCMP and I have my doubts that Bush would harm anyone.
Koester had just finished being brianwashed a few months before. They all want to be heroes in front of their bosses and get praise. He just wanted the arrest too bad and was willing to do anything to be a hero.
Too bad for the families of both, and for the Force too.

Posted by: netsurfer on July 7 2007 10:14 PM

I am not the biggest fan of the RCMP but if I listen to the evidence given then the following must have occurred::

(a.) The police officer kicked the victim in the gonads.
(b.) He then leapt on top of the victim.
(c.) He then drew his gun and shot him in the back of the head.

I want to know why it was necessary to kick this guy in the first place?

Why was it necessary for the officer to even draw his gun as I understand this only occurs in the most serious of incidents?

There has to be more to the story as I just don't believe this RCMP officer would have taken the foregoing courses of action (if he did) if he had not been in fear for his life.

As I stated at the beginning I am not necessarily a big fan of the RCMP but there is no way this officer did what he did unless he was forced into it by the victim.

I don't care what you think of the RCMP there is no way they go about drawing their weapons and shooting their suspects without extreme provocation. My god do you think they want to go through an ordeal like this officer has and it's not over yet.