Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 07, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page a3 a r carpet barn 50 Archibald st. 233 3061 Cong oleum Dura Ceramic from $ 5 69 so. It. Wow. Sarcar Detbarn. Com 655 Pembina Hwy. 284 5166 40% of Winnipeg adults read the sunday edition of the Winnipeg free press. 128 Adelaide st. 944 7463 1504 st. Maryus re. 944 7474 1530 Regent ave. 944 7466 wow. Canadia footwear. Com                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            "                                               "      #                                                                                                                                                                                                                wow. . Com for Reserva i ions Call 488 4520 e e v v e e r r y y w e e d d. E e a a r r l l y y b b u u r r g g s s p p e e c c i i a a l l a a v v a a i i l l a a b b l l e e 6 6 0 0 0 0 p pm 7 7 0 0 0 0 p pm o o n n l l y y j j r r b b r r o of a a u u s s t t i i n n t t e e x x a a s s s s e e p p t t. 3 3 0 0 t t h h o o c c t t. 1 1 1 1 t t h h show ticket fabulous cheeseburger & Fries incredibly Low Price of $ 10 tax excluded $ 10 00 top news Winnipeg free press tuesday october 7, 2008 Winnipeg repress. Com a 3 t he three year Legal ordeal following the death of Crystal Taman ended with vindication for her family and humiliation for the East st. Paul police department which botched the investigation into the crash that killed her. The release of the damning report monday into the failings of the Manitoba Justice system also jump started action from the doer government to act on Justice Roger Sal Hanys recommendations aimed at restoring Public Confidence. Everybody sees it my Way Robert Taman said. The fights Over. There Are a lot of changes that Are going to be made in the name of Crystal. Most of the changes were recommended by inquiry commissioner Salhany in his 141 Page report. The most significant one the former Ontario judge recommended is that police misconduct now be investigated by an arms length special investigation unit police departments will no longer investigate themselves. The creation of the special investigation unit will come formally next year when the doer government introduces Long awaited changes to the provincial police act. The most controversial change in Wake of the Taman inquiry report a snot recommended by Salhany but by Justice minister Dave Chomiak to disband the embattled East st. Paul police department in favour of a new ramp detachment. That was a Long and hard decision Chomiak said. At some Point you have to make a decision for the 8,000 plus residents of East st. Paul. I did not want East st. Paul residents to have second class policing. Cho Miakos decision to shut Down the 10 officer municipal Force caught Community leaders completely by Surprise. There was no consultation coun. Mike was Lin said. There was no discussion with us. Its totally contrary to what the people of East st. Paul want. Was Lin said the upshot of Cho Miakos decision is the police response times will be longer As the ramp already complain they re Short staffed and spread too thin in some parts of Manitoba. The ramp also come at a significant Price was Lin said. Its going to be huge. Sal Hanys report reviews the East st. Paul police investigation into the Early feb. 25, 2005 Highway crash that killed Mother of three Crystal Taman. She was stopped at a red Light on Lagimodiere Boulevard and the perimeter Highway when she was rear ended by a Large Black pickup truck driven by off duty Winnipeg police officer Derek Harvey Zenk. Harvey Zenk had been up All night drinking with fellow officers and was on his Way Home when he apparently fell asleep. In a controversial plea Deal he was convicted of dangerous driving causing death. Special prosecutor Marty Minuk stayed other charges of refusing a breathalyser impaired driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death. It was later revealed those charges were dropped because East st. Paul police botched the investigation. Harvey Zenk was sentenced to two years less a Day of House arrest to be served at his Brandon Home. He is no longer a police officer. The province called the inquiry it sat for 30 Days this summer to examine among other things what went wrong in the Taman Case and Why evidence of Harvey Zenkus drinking a snot used against him. Salhany said its Clear to him the East st. Paul police investigation was plagued by abysmal note taking and a misleading investigation of Tamanis death. He recommended and Chomiak agreed that the architects of that investigation former police chief Harry Bakema and former Constable Ken Graham be re investigated by ramp for allegedly obstructing Justice. A similar investigation about two years ago revealed incompetence but no evidence to support criminal charges. Salhany also criticized Minuk for his handling of the Case and the quickness with which he threw aside evidence of Harvey Zenkus possible impairment. Minukus shifting assessment of the fortunes of the dangerous driving charge in which he variously expressed Confidence that he could prove the Case while at other times claiming the Case was weak is deeply troubling Salhany said in his report. He did not have command Over his Case. He was obviously unprepared. Robert Taman said now that Sal Hanys recommendations Are in the works he and his family can begin to move on. Every recommendation brings More Justice he said. I can go Home now and watch Sci i dont have to fight. Bruce. Owen free press. My. Ca editorial rot at heart View doomed to failure East st. Paul police disbanded damning Taman report spurs move from province by Bruce Owen every recommendation brings More Justice. I can go Home now and watch Sci i dont have to fight some excerpts from the report How much did the off duty police officers have to drink at bran igans. Far More than they were prepared to admit inquiry commissioner Roger Salhany found. In his report he said that former bran igans waitress Chelsea Ohalloran was credible and clearly supported by bran igans sales records. Her evidence that some of the officers were drunk was supported by the evidence of bran igans night manager Darcy Gerardy who expressed concern that some of the officers should not be driving. Ohalloran had everything to lose by coming Forward and giving evidence to the inquiry and nothing to gain. Her Boss whom she said told her to play dumb and minimize the condition of the officers was not a credible witness Salhany found. Rodrigo bravos evidence was inconsistent and he had reason to Tell Ohalloran to minimize the amount of alcohol consumed by the officers. He was concerned that he and bran igans could be held civilly liable for the Accident. How much did the off duty police officers have to drink at the House party they went to after leaving bran igans i find it difficult to accept that 10 officers in close proximity to one another in sgt. Sean Blacks Kitchen for a couple of hours would be unable to say whether Zenk had too much to drink or were unable to comment on Zenkus condition to drive Home after leaving Blacks residence. If they were unable to do so the reason probably lies in the fact the officers had a great Deal More to drink at Blacks residence than they were prepared to admit. Ken Gigliotti / Winnipeg free press from left Jordan Kristen and Robert Taman react to release of inquiry report monday. Robert Taman says he feels completely vindicated by the reports findings. A 03_ oct 07 08. Ind a3 10/ 7/ 08 12 09 46 am ;