Latest news with #Dalman
Hamilton Spectator
7 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
7 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
12 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."
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Falcons OL Ryan Neuzil ranked among NFL's worst centers by PFF
Falcons OL Ryan Neuzil ranked among NFL's worst centers by PFF Ryan Neuzil was ranked near the bottom of Pro Football Focus' center rankings for 2025 NFL season The Atlanta Falcons spent years building their offensive line before selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. While the majority of offensive starters will return in 2025, the Falcons lost center Drew Dalman in free agency. The former Stanford Cardinal worked his way up from a fourth-round pick to become one of the better centers in the entire league. The Chicago Bears signed Dalman to a three-year, $42 million contract over the offseason, leaving a big hole in the middle of Atlanta's offensive line. Without much salary cap space, the team re-signed former backup Ryan Neuzil to a two-year, $9.5 million contract. The 27-year-old appeared in eight games for the Falcons last season after Dalman was placed on the injured reserve list with an ankle injury. While Neuzil didn't exactly set the league on fire, he more than held his own in the time Dalman was out. So where does Neuzil rank among the starting centers in the league going into the 2025 NFL season? The veteran offensive lineman was ranked 29th out of 32 starters in Pro Football Focus' center rankings: Neuzil stepped in for the injured Drew Dalman this past season, and while he didn't dominate, he performed well enough to earn the nod for a full season in 2025. Neuzil needs to better limit mistakes in the run game but did show some flashes, ranking in the 72nd percentile in positively graded run play rate (15.7%). -- Mason Cameron, PFF The Falcons are putting their faith in Neuzil to get the job done this season. Fortunately, he'll be surrounded by elite talent. Pro Bowl guard Chris Lindstrom is one of the better players in the NFL and third-year left guard Matthew Bergeron has been solid since taking over in 2023. As for Dalman, the former Falcons center was ranked fifth by Pro Football Focus: After his final season in Atlanta was cut short due to injury, Dalman heads to a perfect situation with Ben Johnson in Chicago. His reputation as one of the best run-blocking centers in the game will be a huge asset in Johnson's zone-heavy scheme, where the veteran has produced a career 93.8 PFF run-blocking grade. -- Mason Cameron, PFF The Falcons offense is loaded with playmakers, including Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts. With a full offseason to prepare, Penix is in a position to thrive as the undisputed QB1 in Atlanta. The team just needs Neuzil to hold down the center position and this could be one of the most prolific units in the NFL this season.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL.com says Falcons will feel the impact of losing top free agent
says Falcons will feel the impact of losing top free agent Falcons will miss starting center Drew Dalman this season, analyst claims Due to financial limitations, the Atlanta Falcons were relatively quiet during the 2025 NFL free agency period. After making big moves to bring in Kirk Cousins, Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons last season, the team made more headlines for the players that it lost in 2025. The Falcons released the former face of their defense in defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, and let starting center Drew Dalman depart in free agency. Within a matter of hours, both Jarrett and Dalman signed three-year deals with the Chicago Bears. While players change teams all the time, some are more impactful than others. published a list of the player departures that will have the biggest impact on their former teams in 2025. Dalman was one of 13 players listed by Nick Shook. "Atlanta lost last season's fourth-best center (per PFF), with Dalman leaving for the Bears in free agency," wrote Shook. "Signs point to the Falcons replacing him with Ryan Neuzil, who spent half of last season filling in for the injured Dalman but didn't perform at the same level. With Michael Penix Jr. entering his first full season as the team's starting quarterback, having a reliable center becomes even more important." While the team wasn't thrilled about losing Dalman, Atlanta has a decent replacement waiting in the wings. Backup Ryan Neuzil started eight games in place of an injured Dalman last season. The Falcons placed a right-of-refusal tender on Neuzil, although he has yet to sign it. "Neuzil will need to improve to flirt with Dalman's consistency, and playing center comes with important responsibilities," continued Shook. "Like others on this list, the pressure -- and the spotlight -- will be on Neuzil early. He has yet to sign his restricted free agent tender, but it sounds like it's just a matter of time before he puts pen to paper." The Falcons signed undrafted free agent center Michael Gonzalez out of Louisville last week, but the job still appears to be Neuzil's to lose. It's unclear why he has yet to sign his tender. Perhaps he feels the $3.2 million price tag isn't up to par for a starting center. Since Atlanta can match any offer Neuzil receives, his options are limited beyond returning to the Falcons next season. Around Falcons Wire
