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Father of man shot by police officer wants coroner's report made public

Source: Montreal Gazette March 14 2008

It's now more than two years since his son was shot to death by a Montreal police officer in front of a Côte des Neiges mosque.

Mohamed Bennis says he is over the mourning period for his son, Mohamed Anas Bennis, but feels it is his right to see the police and coroner's reports so he knows exactly what happened.

So far this request has been denied, and he has only received verbal reports.

Montreal police say one of their officers shot Bennis, 25, after he attacked him with a knife, slashing him in the neck and the leg on Kent Ave. in Côte des Neiges during a police operation.

Bennis, who has no criminal record, was walking home after morning prayers at the mosque.

A financial consultant living in Casablanca, Mohamed Bennis has hired Montreal lawyer Alain Arsenault to write to Justice Minister Jacques Dupuis and the Quebec Coroner's Office to formally request copies of the reports.

His suspicion, Bennis told a news conference yesterday sponsored by groups opposed to police brutality, is that his son was shot because he was bearded, dressed as a devout Muslim and was caught in an anti-terrorist operation and mistaken for one.

A Gazette story December 3, 2005 reported the officer who shot Bennis was assisting in a Sûreté du Québec operation involving a fraud ring.

Arsenault said he will ask that a public inquiry be held so the circumstances of Bennis's death can be examined.

"We want to look at the degree of legitimate force used," he said.

"Was it not possible to use other methods?" he asked.

As for the knife Bennis allegedly used to attack an officer, Arsenault wants to know if fingerprints were lifted from it, and if the blood found there matched that of the officer.

"Apparently there were no fingerprints on the knife. How come?" Arsenault asked.

"Unless there is a public coroner's inquest, there will always be doubts."

Arsenault said there are two versions why the father was not allowed to see copies of the various reports.

One is that the police report contains confidential information on the police operation.

"Can we get a copy of the report without these confidential items?" he asked.

The other reason is that since nobody faces criminal charges, this type of report is not made public to protect privacy. Arsenault rejects this argument.

"A man has died in connection with a police operation and in my opinion there should always be a public coroner's inquest."

"Right now all we have are hypotheses."

Justice Minister Jacques Dupuis would not comment on any aspect of the case, said his press aide, Philippe Archambault.

The family of Mohamed Anas Bennis is supporting a 3 p.m. protest against police brutality tomorrow at Berri and Ste. Catherine Sts.