A Vancouver lawyer has been tasked to serve as a "civilian monitor" into the review of the police watchdog's investigation into the death of Greg Matters.
"I have received a complaint forwarded to me by the deputy attorney general that raises a number of questions with respect to the investigation into the death of Mr. Matters," said Independent Investigations Office (IIO) chief civilian director Richard Rosenthal.
A review of the September 2012 investigation into the shooting of the Canadian military veteran after a standoff in Pineview was ordered under the Police Act. Once complete, Mark Jette's report will be provided to the deputy attorney general and director of police services as well as the IIO.
"The appointment of a civilian monitor is a step contemplated by the Police Act to provide an extra measure of accountability where it is in the public interest to do so," Rosenthal said, in a press release. Jette's mandate is not to re-open the investigation, but to review conduct of the investigation.
The relevant section of the Police Act authorizes Rosenthal to appoint someone who is not a current or former member of the RCMP or other B.C. police force to review and assess the integrity of a specific investigation. The monitor is entitled to access any IIO record directly related to the investigation and IIO staff and investigators are required to co-operate.
Jette specializes in criminal defence and has experience with reporting to the province's Criminal Justice branch, serving as an independent special prosecutor in cases that linked MLA Pat Pimm to a domestic dispute and an assault case against the brother of former cabinet minister Ida Chong.
The IIO recently wrapped up a secondary review that cleared the officers involved in Matters's death of criminal wrongdoing, after a pathologist testified during the coroners inquest that Matters was shot in the back, when the original report used the word "chest."
The agency responded in the review by saying the difference between the pathologist's testimony and the agency's report was caused by unclear language.
A special committee of the legislature, headed by Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris, is currently reviewing the IIIO's operations.
-- with files from The Canadian Press
