Myles Gray Death Hearing Resumes After 5-Month Delay

A public hearing investigating the 2015 death of Myles Gray, who was beaten to death by Vancouver police officers, will reconvene on Monday. This session follows a significant five-month delay. The incident occurred in August 2015 when Gray, experiencing apparent mental health distress, entered a Burnaby backyard and was subsequently involved in a physical altercation.

Seven Vancouver Police Department officers were involved in the incident that led to Gray's death. An autopsy revealed extensive injuries, including a crushed larynx and broken facial bones. Despite an investigation by the Independent Investigations Office and a coroner's inquest jury determining Gray's death to be a homicide, the B.C. Prosecution Service declined to lay charges, citing a lack of independent witnesses.

The public hearing, which began earlier this year, has been repeatedly derailed. Initial delays stemmed from a controversy involving a lawyer speaking into an open microphone and later, a lawyer representing one of the officers being appointed as a judge. The most recent five-month postponement was caused by scheduling challenges among the numerous legal representatives for the officers, the police department, and the Gray family.

Attending the hearing are lawyers representing seven respondent officers, the Vancouver Police Department, the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner, and the Gray family. It remains uncertain whether the respondent officers will testify, as they are not obligated to do so, given the potential for disciplinary consequences, including dismissal from the force.