After hearing submissions from lawyers representing the Bagnell family, the coroner, the Provincial government and the Vancouver Police Department, Mr. Justice Kelleher of the BC Supreme Court has reserved judgment on the Bagnell family’s application for an Order that a date be set for a coroner’s inquest and for an order that the coroner deliver documents to the family.

Robert Bagnell, 44, died on June 23, 2004, more than 14 months ago. The VPD initially told his family that Robert died of a drug overdose, then a month later revealed to the media that they had Tasered him twice just before he died. Another month after that, the VPD acknowledged that he was not a threat to anyone and that he was not involved in the commission of a crime when they sent an ERT (SWAT) team into the washroom Robert was in. The police said Bagnell was shocked with 50,000 volts so they could “rescue” him from a “fire” in his building. Although the family doubts these claims, they have been unable to obtain copies of police or autopsy reports and they have been unable to get an inquest scheduled.

Meanwhile, another death has been reported in Ohio, bringing to 153 the total number of North Americans who have died after being jolted by the “non-lethal” Taser.