Woman Who Phoned In Complaint About Don Lewis,says she Wishes She Had Never Done It

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 12:09 PM

Williams Lake, B.C. - The McLeese Lake woman who made the original phone call to police to have them check on a man camped near the runaway lane on Beaver Lake Rd., says she wishes that she had never made that call.

Speaking outside the Coroner's inquest into the RCMP sooting death of Donald Lewis, Marie Newman, says she returned from a holiday to her native Newfoundland on August 4^th.on the 13^th she called police after seeing a man on a motorcycle going up and down the hill a few times.

"I lived nearby and was worried about my safety". She said when she called 911, a police officer who identified himself as Const. Cole Brewer said he would attend the scene. "I saw the police car go by at 7:55pm. Then at exactly 8:15pm I heard a shot." She says about 25 minutes later, several police cars showed up.

"I would never have phoned police had I even thought for a moment what happened, would" she said outside of the Coroner's inquest. "Everyone around the town said Don Lewis was a really nice guy and got along with everyone. He cut them firewood."

"I’m just sick about it and my health is showing it , I have had trouble sleeping over what happened. All I can say is, I just wish I hadn’t called the police to check on Don Lewis”.

The Coroner's inquest before Coroner Shane DeMeyer is in its second day. The officer who fired the single bullet that killed Don Lewis is expected to take the stand today.

Earlier the jury was shown a video tape taken 72 hours after the shooting, but they were cautioned by the Coroner not to use any of the officer's comments on that video as evidence, but rather to only use the tapes as a means of setting the stage for the area.

Dr McNaughton, Forensic Pathologist from Kamloops testified earlier that Don Lewis likely lived for 15 minutes to an hour after being shot and handcuffed to a tree. McNaughton says Lewis was shot by a single bullet that passed through his left lung just below the middle of the chest and fracturing several ribs, but it was the Pathologists contention that Lewis died from a loss of blood.

The inquest is being held in a relatively small room not like the attendance at the Ian Bush, or Kevin St Arnaud inquest.

On one side of the room sit between six and seven police officers including two officers who are public relations RCMP members from Vancouver.

On the other side of the room sits Lynda Bush, who says she is on hand to offer moral support to the wife of Don Lewis, and Delores Young, mother of Kevin St Arnaud who was shot to death by a police officer in Vanderhoof. Even the media who have had a strong appearance at these inquests are not there. BCTV, CBC, Opinion250 along with the local Williams Lake paper are the only reporters. They, along with about seven to ten observers make up the gallery.

Previous Story - Next Story

Email |

Print |

Facebook |

Twitter |

Digg |

Del.icio.us

Posted on Tuesday, June 03, 2008 12:09 PM in News by 250 News

Return to Home

Comments

Posted by: Lewis Prothero on June 3 2008 2:00 PM

Ms. Newman should not feel guilty over what happened. She reported a suspicious activity as she should have done. The resulting altercation and death are not her fault in any way.

Posted by: owl on June 3 2008 2:06 PM

Did you hear the recording of her calling 911? I did this morning on CBC. This was not a woman in panic mode. She was cool calm and collected.

Is it against the law to get oneself onto a side road, pitch a tent on what likely was crown land, and go to sleep? He was not camped on her property. He was not trespassing. He did not deserve to die.

"Everyone around the town said Don Lewis was a really nice guy and got along with everyone. He cut them firewood."

Posted by: MrPG on June 3 2008 2:15 PM

It's funny how some people are more than willing to accept the idea that Don Lewis was a 'nice guy' but not anything the officer said.

As I said in the other thread, Don Lewis would be alive if he had cooperated. If you choose to be uncooperative or threatening to the police, you potentially are risking your life.

Posted by: BCRacer on June 3 2008 2:22 PM

He was already in Canada illegally, though that is not worthy of dying for.
But so many are ready to execute a police officer for something he may or may not have done wrong.
Why? Because there has been so much bad press as of late.
Let us let the coroner do his job, before the noose is brought out.
Donald Lewis is by no means an angel!

Posted by: lostfaith on June 3 2008 2:30 PM

Mr PG you are taking the cops word for it that the dead guy was uncooperative.
The only other person that knows what really happened is dead.

Owl, the guy was camped in the middle of a truck runaway lane, kind of like camping in the middle of a highway that doesn't very often see any traffic and hoping that while you are there that no one drives over you.
Doesn't sound like he should have been left alone. What happened after the cop showed up is anyones guess.

Posted by: Born in BC on June 3 2008 2:52 PM

COPS undergo severe screening. They undergo training. Sure the RCMP has been forced to hire from the bottom of the barrel as late, but who wants to do what they do for what they get paid?

On the other hand, while I personally have issues with some of the thugs that grew up in PG at the same time I did being police officers now, I cant imagine that any officer gets off shooting someone for no reason. Officers of the law deserve a presumption of innosence like everyone else.

Posted by: MrPG on June 3 2008 3:19 PM

"Mr PG you are taking the cops word for it that the dead guy was uncooperative."

And you have already made up your mind that there's some sort of coverup going on.

Born in BC said it best above...

Posted by: Jimmi on June 3 2008 3:31 PM

lets see.....using a motorcycle that is not yours and not knowing who owns it?
.......Sqauting in a runaway lane for a heavily used steep road?

Doesn't paint a picture of an individual with good judgement

Posted by: lostfaith on June 3 2008 4:36 PM

" Posted by: MrPG on June 3 2008 3:19 PM
"Mr PG you are taking the cops word for it that the dead guy was uncooperative."

And you have already made up your mind that there's some sort of coverup going on."

You have already made up your mind that there isn't.

Posted by: C. Monty Burns on June 3 2008 8:50 PM

When the hell did it become acceptable to start questioning cops athority? These men and women are screened, trained extensively, and then hired on to defend the public and uphold the law. Let's not forget who it is we call when we have a noisy neighbour, or a suspicious person in the neighbourhood or someone is robbing a store, we phone the police. They protect us.

I've never in my 30 years on this earth had even the slightest issue with a police officer. mmmmmm I wonder why? I obey the law. I don't question and argue the cops if I get pulled over for speeding, ( okay I broke the law once, sue me ) I don't get drunk ( well I do get drunk ) but I don't get drunk and lip off police when they tell me to go home, or else. I don't cause disturbances for my neighbours.

I'm not trying to make it sound like I'm a bloody angel here. All I'm saying is many people that have reported police brutality or even people that have been killed by the police, usually did something to make the officer have to defend themselves. You aren't in their shoes. You don't know what it's like to have to deal with criminals day in and day out. Let the police do their jobs.

What if Marie Newman hadn't called the police and what if Donald Lewis had gone to her house and attacked her. Then the police would get blamed for not showing up on time or not being there when she needed them. It never ends. Bottom line is we may never know for sure what happened when Donald Lewis was shot, but I'd bet my house on it that the cop involved felt like his life was in danger so he did what he felt he had to do.

Posted by: seamutt on June 3 2008 9:21 PM

It is part of a free society to question authority. Why do the cops refuse to cooperate? Why do the cops believe they are above the law? Why do the rcmp refuse civilian oversite? Just because they have a tough job, should we let them free to do what ever, no. Hey they should have known what kind of the job it is before they went in.

In this case why did the cops wait three days before getting a statement from the shooter? Why was the cop allowed to go over the scene before the incident was reconstructed on video? When ever the cops are involved in an incident like this there seems to be a lot of irregularities in the investigation. They bring on the doubt themselves.

Posted by: MrPG on June 3 2008 9:25 PM

Well said Mr. Burns. Many folks on here just have a hate-on for the police and no matter what they do, they're somehow in the wrong.

Posted by: lostfaith on June 3 2008 9:30 PM

Monty writes..."Let's not forget who it is we call when we have a noisy neighbour, or a suspicious person in the neighbourhood or someone is robbing a store, we phone the police. They protect us."

They may have helped you in these situations but I have never been helped in any of them and I have had a few in my day.

Also writes...."What if Marie Newman hadn't called the police and what if Donald Lewis had gone to her house and attacked her. Then the police would get blamed for not showing up on time or not being there when she needed them. It never ends. Bottom line is we may never know for sure what happened when Donald Lewis was shot, but I'd bet my house on it that the cop involved felt like his life was in danger so he did what he felt he had to do."

What if, what if, what if.

Posted by: 148fella on June 3 2008 10:53 PM

I guess, I was Don Lewis's first contact..in the cariboo, his motorcycle broke down and he wheeled into my driveway...just as I was going out..
I stored it in my shop until had a place to work on it, which was 2 days later..after it broke down, I delivered him to the 150 Roadhouse, where he got a job the same day cooking..he was fired the next morning..as he was not a cook..but he did take a room at the hotel..and did borrow tools from the owner to fix his bike, apparentley he was a good enough mechanic..as it worked fine after he was done..all around the area that had contact with him..said he was looking for a place to cut firewood..and that he had a contract to sell it at whistler..a couple of places he camped to look for cutting firewood in this area asked him to leave..without incident..he was not a very big fella...I dont know what he weighed but would guess under 140 lbs..this incident leaves me with the thought, especially after all the other " New Officer " shootings that maybe New Officers should not pack firearms..and be with older officers for a period of time...
or maybe the training in Regina...is lacking..?

Posted by: owl on June 4 2008 12:22 AM

Lostfaith

You wrote: "Owl, the guy was CAMPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRUCK RUNAWAY LANE"

That runaway lane is like a Y in the road, going to the left up the hill when coming towards HWY97. There is plenty of room between the two legs of the Y to not be parked "in the middle" as you said.

In other reports about where he was camped it stated:

"Brewer says the shooting happened following what he describes as a violent struggle at a campsite AT THE END OF THE RUNAWAY on Beaver Rd."

"On the tape, Constable Cole Brewer, who had been on the force for about 1 year at the time of the shooting, tells of how he came to the McLeese Lake area after receiving a complaint from a local woman that a man may be camping ON THE RUNAWAY Rd."

"The McLeese Lake woman who made the original phone call to police to have them check on a man camped NEAR THE RUNAWAY LANE on Beaver Lake Rd., "

So ... at the end (which, the bottom or top end?) ..... near the lane??? .... on the lane .... in the middle of the lane????

If you or anyone else wants to make a point of the camp site being one that any sane person would not have camped on, you and othrs had better get some consistent evidence of exactly where the campsite was.....

And that is just one minor point of evidence ...... if anyone thinks that a defintive conclusion will be reached which has a solid degree of certainty, you can continue to dream ...... ain't gonna happen

Posted by: lostfaith on June 4 2008 12:59 PM

Owl

You wrote,"Is it against the law to get oneself onto a side road, pitch a tent on what likely was crown land, and go to sleep? He was not camped on her property. He was not trespassing. He did not deserve to die."

As well you wrote, "That runaway lane is like a Y in the road, going to the left up the hill when coming towards HWY97. There is plenty of room between the two legs of the Y to not be parked "in the middle" as you said.

It has been well reported that he was camped on the runaway lane, not at the Y as you suggest.

Posted by: Truth on June 4 2008 8:59 PM

Yap. Yap. Yap. So cops - trained in less than 100 days - have law enforcement/crime prevention authority. We all have that, including the right to arrest a cop who acts outside of the limits prescribed in Section 25, Criminal Code of Canada. What would happen if you tried to arrest a cop for Obstruction or Assault? You would be shot dead.

Most shootings by cops are Murders, committed in enforcement of the highest crime that those slugs recognize: CONTEMPT OF COP.

Reminder: the work product of the average Canadian slug is less than 1 convicted offender each month, and 1 incarcerated offender each year (and many arrests are false, and convictions wrongful). That is hardly a degree of protective service that warrants indulgence of rights derogation by those pay-cheque thieves. If you don't want to work for a living: become a cop.

Posted by: C. Monty Burns on June 5 2008 9:35 PM

Possibly the most idiotic comment I've ever heard. What a moron this "Truth" is. Obviously someone who thinks criminals should have "rights". They lost those rights when they broke the law. Oh, sorry, they do have the right to remain silent. Obey the law and cops don't bother you, pretty simple really.