Manitoba man sues RCMP over spinal cord injury he alleges was caused by arrest

Edzi'u Loverin · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 5:58 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

A occidental Manitoba antheral is suing the RCMP for a spinal cord wounded helium alleges was caused by officers during a well-being check at his home, and helium accuses constabulary of readying the attack.

The Neepawa man suffered a backmost injury, paralysis, aggravated symptom requiring surgeries and a two-month infirmary enactment aft allegedly excessive unit was utilized by constabulary during an April 24, 2023, arrest, the suit claims.

The connection of claim, filed March 5 with the Court of King's Bench successful Brandon, Man., says constabulary arrived astatine the man's location to apprehend him nether the Mental Health Act aft his parent told constabulary helium sent her a substance connection threatening suicide.

Const. Eric Unrau, Const. David Lisoway and Sgt. David Taggart acted successful "wanton disregard for the plaintiff's safety," the suit alleges, and were motivated by malicious purposes different than the law.

The suit is against the 3 officers, the RCMP and the Attorney General of Canada.

The antheral claims his "life and happiness person been destroyed" arsenic a effect of the arrest, portion suffering "embarrassment and heartbreak" successful summation to superior carnal injuries. He's seeking wide damages, nonaccomplishment of income, ineligible fees and different restitution, but nary dollar magnitude is fixed successful the lawsuit.  

Plaintiff denies helium was resisting arrest

The antheral had undergone backmost country 10 months earlier the apprehension but was recovering good and moving without symptom by the clip helium was awoken retired of slumber by respective officers pounding connected a model and the beforehand and backmost doors of his home.

When helium opened the door, the officers acted arsenic if helium had committed an offence against his parent and she had complained to police, the suit says, with Lisoway informing the plaintiff helium had seen the substance to his mother.

The antheral said helium did not endanger his mother, and Lisoway responded by shaking his caput and looking down "with a disgusted look connected his face," according to the connection of claim.

Unrau past yelled astatine the antheral to halt resisting apprehension and tackled him to the floor, pressed his genu into his backmost and placed a baton nether his cervix and lifted it, the tribunal papers says.

"The plaintiff denies helium was resisting apprehension successful immoderate fashion," the assertion says.

"The plaintiff was not ever charged with resisting apprehension oregon immoderate different crime."

The suit says Unrau continued to assistance the baton nether his cervix until helium mislaid his enactment and became unconscious.

The wounded to the man's backmost caused "immediate paralysis" that didn't let him to basal and was made worse by constabulary attempting to assistance him alternatively of waiting for an ambulance, the suit alleges.

"The plaintiff was evidently injured and the officers each knew… the plaintiff needed to beryllium decently and safely moved to the hospital, lone by paramedics and ambulance," the connection of assertion says.

The connection of assertion says the officers did not let doctors to assistance the injured antheral aft helium was taken to hospital, and lone allowed him to get psychiatric care.

"The officers failed to pass immoderate doc astatine the infirmary that the plaintiff was suffering from superior injuries and backmost pain," the connection of assertion says.

A week aft the incident, the antheral went backmost to infirmary for the symptom and was yet sent to spot a doc successful Winnipeg, "who did a nervus conduction trial and determined that the RCMP officers damaged the plaintiff's spinal cord," it says.

Disregard for plaintiff's safety

The connection of assertion says police knew astir the plaintiff's backmost condition, due to the fact that the man's parent had informed them portion explaining his intelligence authorities during her report.

The man also called retired to constabulary astir his backmost country during the assault, the suit says.

The connection of assertion says the antheral present lives successful fearfulness of constabulary and worries helium won't beryllium capable to enactment successful his assemblage arsenic an car mechanic again arsenic a effect of his injuries.

His injuries see bowel and urinary incontinence, nervus harm and a deficiency of feeling successful his close foot, arsenic good arsenic changeless backmost pain. Doctors accidental helium whitethorn besides request his backmost fused and he's waiting for further surgeries, the suit says.

The connection of assertion accuses the officers and the RCMP of negligence, defamation, harassment, malicious persecution and disregard for the plaintiff's information and rights. It alleges Lisoway and Unrau failed to decently counsel the antheral of their intent oregon supply their intent successful writing.

The suit besides says the antheral has suffered harm to his estimation and a nonaccomplishment of goodwill, and accuses the officers of telling radical helium threatened his mother, arsenic justification for the assault.

"The plaintiff heard the officers talking successful the hallway... and either David Lisoway or David Taggart said, you shouldn't of threatened your mother," the connection of assertion sats.

"The plaintiff believes by their behaviour and their comments that the officers planned to wounded the plaintiff earlier they entered the plantiff's home."

No connection of defence has been filed.