Latest news with #Culver
Hamilton Spectator
14 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Judge upholds obstruction conviction for B.C. Mountie in Dale Culver case
A provincial court judge has ruled that the guilty verdict stands for an RCMP officer convicted of obstruction of justice in the case of an Indigenous man who died in police custody in 2017, clearing the way for sentencing. A statement from the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association says Judge Adrian Brooks dismissed the attempt by RCMP Const. Arthur Dalman to have the proceedings stayed, rejecting Dalman's claim that his Charter rights were breached. The B.C. Prosecution Service has confirmed the ruling, which communications counsel Damienne Darby says was released on May 29. Dalman was found guilty last July of obstruction of justice for ordering witnesses to delete video footage taken at the time Dale Culver was arrested in Prince George. The civil liberties association says officers used pepper spray during the 'violent' arrest and Culver died about 30 minutes later after complaining of breathing difficulties. The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. recommended charges in 2020 after finding reasonable grounds to believe two officers may have committed offences related to the use of force and three others may have obstructed justice. But the civil liberties association says manslaughter charges against two officers were stayed last year, one obstruction charge was stayed and another officer was acquitted of obstruction, leaving Dalman as the only officer convicted in the case. The reasons for Brooks' judgment have not been released, and Darby said in a statement on Monday that Dalman's next appearance is on June 19 to set a date for a sentencing hearing. Culver was from the Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en Nations. He was 35 years old at the time of his death. An RCMP release from the time said police had received a report about a man casing vehicles and found a suspect who tried to flee on a bicycle. The civil liberties association, meanwhile, said after Culver's death that it was aware of reports from eyewitnesses that he 'was taken forcibly to the ground by RCMP members immediately after exiting a liquor store, apparently unprovoked.' The group shared a statement from Culver's daughter, Lily Speed-Namox, following the judge's decision to uphold Dalman's conviction this week. The family has waited 'eight long years' for accountability, Speed-Namox says. 'I have somehow managed to remain positive about my feelings that eventually someone would be held accountable. 'Even if it's because Dalman lied under oath to 'protect' his fellow officers. How many people have to die before people realize that the justice system is broken?' In the earlier decision finding Dalman guilty of obstruction of justice, the same provincial court judge, Adrian Brooks, found the officer deliberately lied and his evidence was 'so fraught with illogical missteps … and so contradictory when compared with reliable evidence, that it (was) not worthy of any belief.' Culver's cousin, Debbie Pierre, says in a statement that Brooks' latest decision upholding Dalman's conviction marks a step toward accountability. 'But true justice goes beyond one decision. My vision is for a system where Indigenous lives are protected — not silenced — and where police are trained to de-escalate, not destroy. 'This is not just about Dale; it's about transforming a justice system that continues to fail our people. We will not stop until that change is real.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
14 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Judge upholds obstruction conviction for B.C. Mountie in Dale Culver case
A provincial court judge has ruled that the guilty verdict stands for an RCMP officer convicted of obstruction of justice in the case of an Indigenous man who died in police custody in 2017, clearing the way for sentencing. A statement from the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association says Judge Adrian Brooks dismissed the attempt by RCMP Const. Arthur Dalman to have the proceedings stayed, rejecting Dalman's claim that his Charter rights were breached. The B.C. Prosecution Service has confirmed the ruling, which communications counsel Damienne Darby says was released on May 29. Dalman was found guilty last July of obstruction of justice for ordering witnesses to delete video footage taken at the time Dale Culver was arrested in Prince George. The civil liberties association says officers used pepper spray during the 'violent' arrest and Culver died about 30 minutes later after complaining of breathing difficulties. The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. recommended charges in 2020 after finding reasonable grounds to believe two officers may have committed offences related to the use of force and three others may have obstructed justice. But the civil liberties association says manslaughter charges against two officers were stayed last year, one obstruction charge was stayed and another officer was acquitted of obstruction, leaving Dalman as the only officer convicted in the case. The reasons for Brooks' judgment have not been released, and Darby said in a statement on Monday that Dalman's next appearance is on June 19 to set a date for a sentencing hearing. Culver was from the Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en Nations. He was 35 years old at the time of his death. An RCMP release from the time said police had received a report about a man casing vehicles and found a suspect who tried to flee on a bicycle. The civil liberties association, meanwhile, said after Culver's death that it was aware of reports from eyewitnesses that he 'was taken forcibly to the ground by RCMP members immediately after exiting a liquor store, apparently unprovoked.' The group shared a statement from Culver's daughter, Lily Speed-Namox, following the judge's decision to uphold Dalman's conviction this week. The family has waited 'eight long years' for accountability, Speed-Namox says. 'I have somehow managed to remain positive about my feelings that eventually someone would be held accountable. 'Even if it's because Dalman lied under oath to 'protect' his fellow officers. How many people have to die before people realize that the justice system is broken?' In the earlier decision finding Dalman guilty of obstruction of justice, the same provincial court judge, Adrian Brooks, found the officer deliberately lied and his evidence was 'so fraught with illogical missteps … and so contradictory when compared with reliable evidence, that it (was) not worthy of any belief.' Culver's cousin, Debbie Pierre, says in a statement that Brooks' latest decision upholding Dalman's conviction marks a step toward accountability. 'But true justice goes beyond one decision. My vision is for a system where Indigenous lives are protected — not silenced — and where police are trained to de-escalate, not destroy. 'This is not just about Dale; it's about transforming a justice system that continues to fail our people. We will not stop until that change is real.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
B.C. Mountie loses bid to stay charges in obstruction of justice case
A Prince George RCMP officer has lost a bid to stay an obstruction of justice charge and will now be sentenced, in a case connected to the death of an Indigenous man in custody. In July 2024, Const. Arthur Dalman was found guilty of obstructing justice for ordering a bystander to delete cellphone video showing the aftermath of the police takedown and arrest of Dale Culver on July 18, 2017. The 35-year-old Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en man died in police custody 29 minutes after he was arrested, following a struggle with multiple police officers. Dalman is one of two officers who went on trial in the obstruction of justice case. The constable filed an application to stay his 2024 conviction, arguing that lengthy pre-trial delays meant he was denied his Charter rights to a trial within a reasonable in a ruling on May 29, Judge Adrian Brooks dismissed Dalman's application. His next court appearance is on June 19 to schedule a date for his sentencing. The other officer accused of obstruction of justice, Staff Sgt. Bayani (Jon) Eusebio Cruz was found not guilty in 2024. Culver's arrest and death happened nearly eight years ago, on July 18, 2017. That was followed by an investigation by B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office (IIO), an oversight agency that investigates anytime a police-involved incident results in serious harm or death. It filed its initial report to Crown counsel in July 2019, followed by an updated report in May 2020. Close to three years later, in February 2023, Crown prosecutors announced charges of manslaughter against two Mounties and charges of obstruction against three others, the first time the accused were publicly named. Charges against the two officers accused of manslaughter were stayed in April 2024. Charges against one of the officers accused of obstruction were stayed a month later, while the trial for the other two officers accused of obstruction was completed on July 25, 2024, resulting in Dalman's guilty verdict. 'Rare occurrence,' civil rights group says Culver's death and its aftermath have been viewed by civil rights advocates and First Nations leadership groups in B.C. as a key test of the justice system's ability to hold police accountable. The B.C. Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) hailed the recent dismissal of Dalman's application, with a staff lawyer saying it's uncommon for officers to be charged with criminal offences and even less common for them to be found guilty. "We recognize that this is such a rare occurrence — that not only was Const. Arthur Dalman found guilty of obstruction of justice, but that despite his application to challenge that verdict, the judge upheld his guilty verdict," said Latoya Farrell. "And now we're going to be moving to sentencing, which is monumental in steps towards the police accountability." In a statement shared by the BCCLA, Culver's daughter asked how many people would have to die before the public realized the justice system was broken. "We have been waiting eight long years for this, and I have somehow managed to remain positive about my feelings that eventually someone would be held accountable," Lily Speed-Namox said. However, the National Police Federation's Pacific-North director, Chris Voller, was critical of Dalman's application being dismissed. "I think that this was an error," he told CBC News. "I think it was very clearly demonstrated, throughout the testimony of all involved, that Const. Dalman's Charter rights were clearly denied." Voller said the IIO, which forwarded a report to Crown prosecutors in Dalman's case recommending that charges be laid, made evidentiary errors in the case. "The public of British Columbia want and deserve to have the ability to say the oversight of their police officers is competent, timely and reasonable," he said. "We would request a review of the competency, timeliness and reasonableness associated to both the IIO investigations and charge assessment by the Crown counsel."
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
‘This came out of nowhere': Winfield post office closing Sept. 30
The Winfield postal substation will be stamped closed on Sept. 30. Notice of contract termination was emailed by a U.S. Postal Service official earlier this week to Amy Culver, the customer service agent for the post office, and George and Diane Smith, owners of the building, which shares space with U-Haul Rentals. Susan W. Wright, Strategic Communications Specialist for the U.S. Postal Corporate Communications, when asked the reason behind the termination, responded with the following email: 'The Postal Service sometimes contracts with retailers to host Contract Postal Units, or CPUs, within a retail establishment, operated by the retailer's employee. CPUs can provide communities with expanded access to postal services, but they are not operated by the Postal Service. In all instances, CPU agreements may be terminated by either party upon 120 days' written notice.' 'In the case of the Winfield CPU at 8380 E. 109th Ave., Crown Point, the Postal Service determined the nearby postal facilities are able to fully serve the community and the CPU was no longer needed.' Wright, in her email, said she had no information about changes to be made in the Leroy Post Office, 14120 Elkhart St., located south of Winfield in Leroy. The Winfield postal substation was opened in April 2021 and before that was housed for many years inside the former Fagen Pharmacy, now CVS Pharmacy, 10809 Randolph St., before Fagen's closed in 2017. The town of Winfield and nearby unincorporated Lakes of the Four Seasons, which use a Crown Point ZIP code, have mail delivered through the Crown Point Post Office on Summit Street in Crown Point. Crown Point Postmaster Rhianna Derolf could not be reached for comment. The Smiths, with whom the contract is held, said the termination email came from Shaun D. LaBay, a contracting officer for the United States Postal Service in Aurora, Colorado. He referred all questions to the postal service communications services in Washington, D.C. Culver and the Smiths said they were blindsided by the email notifying them of the 120-day termination since they thought all was well. 'This came out of nowhere,' Culver said. The Smiths said they agreed to house the post office substation and sign a contract with U.S. Postal officials as a way to give back to the Winfield and Lakes of the Four Seasons area, where they have lived for close to 40 years. The feedback the Smiths have received from the community over the last four years has been great. 'We can't walk down the street without someone saying thank you to us…The town has been good to us and this is our payback to them,' George Smith said. The Smiths receive no rental income from the U.S. Postal Service and only a small percentage back from such things as sale of stamps, which they have to purchase from postal officials. Town Council President Zack Beaver and Winfield Township Trustee Cody Reynolds voiced disappointment about the closure. Both Beaver and Reynolds said their attempts to reach out to the Crown Point Post Office were unsuccessful, as were calls made by Post-Tribune. 'It's a shame it's being closed because it serves thousands of residents,' Beaver said. Reynolds credited his predecessor, former Winfield Township Trustee Paulette Skinner, for pushing to get the substation reopened after it was closed in 2018 after Fagen Pharmacy closed. On June 26, 2018, Skinner's office sent state officials a petition with the signatures of 2,548 residents asking to restore postal services. 'Given the township's history on this we are actively engaged,' Reynolds said. Reynolds issued a statement from the Winfield Township Trustee's Office, which in part, condemned the termination action and even addressed the possibility of the closure of another nearby post office located in Leroy. 'The Winfield Township Board and I are vehemently opposed to the closure of one or both of these facilities. If this is allowed to happen, these decisions will leave a 25.5-square-mile area without service from a local post office. Residents would be forced to travel 5 or more miles away just to find the next closest facility, Reynolds said in his statement. 'We also have to take into account that both of these substations may also be the closest facilities for a number of people who live outside of Winfield Township, particularly those in Porter and Union Townships in Porter County. Ultimately, this decision could end up affecting almost 25,000 residents.' Reynolds said he is already communicating with other local, state and federal officials to do all officials can do to reach a positive outcome for the community. 'As more information becomes available, we will work to keep the members of our community fully informed on this issue,' Reynolds said. Any questions can be directed to either the Winfield Township Trustee's Office, at 219-663-7027 or the Crown Point branch of the U.S. Postal Service at 219-663-0062.
Indianapolis Star
6 days ago
- Business
- Indianapolis Star
Hoosiers can now get their ButterBurger fix at the two new Culver's locations in Indiana
Hoosiers have more spots where they can pick up ButterBurgers and Concrete Mixers as two new Culver's have opened up in Indiana this year. Here's what we know. The two new Culver's locations that have opened up in 2025 are located in Bedford and Portage, according to a company spokesperson. Story continues after photo gallery. The chain has broken ground at new locations in 12 states, according to a Culver's spokesperson. Future locations are set for the following cities:
