Police, family, prosecutor granted standing in Taman inquiry

The first phase of the inquiry into the police investigation and court case surrounding the death of Crystal Taman began in Winnipeg on Monday, as the commissioner heard applications for standing at the inquiry.

Taman, 40, was killed in February 2005 when her car, stopped at a traffic light in East St. Paul, was struck by a pickup truck driven by former Winnipeg police officer Derek Harveymordenzenk, who later received a two-year conditional sentence after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death.

The inquiry's commissioner, former Ontario Superior Court justice Roger Salhany, granted standing Monday to several parties involved in the case, including:

• Taman's family.
• Harveymordenzenk.
• The Winnipeg Police Service.
• The Winnipeg Police Association, the officers' union.
• The East St. Paul police force, which investigated the crash.
• Former East St. Paul police chief Harry Bakema.
• The Manitoba government.
• Marty Minuk, the independent prosecutor assigned to the case.
• The Manitoba Bar Association.

Lawyers for Harveymordenzenk and Bakema are seeking more than standing; they publicly requested Monday that the provincial government pay for their legal bills during the proceedings.

All the other parties with standing will have their legal bills paid by either the province or a professional organization.

Sveinn Sveinson, Crystal Taman's father, said he plans to attend as much of the inquiry as possible.

"I want the truth. And other than that, we are going to wait and see exactly what happens," he said.

"We leave it in the hands of the capable people looking after the inquiry. We'll leave it in their hands."

The inquiry's proceedings moved swiftly Monday morning, concluding before noon. The inquiry will reconvene in June. 

Harveymordenzenk, also known as Derek Harvey-Zenk, was initially charged with refusing a breathalyzer, impaired driving causing death and criminal negligence causing death. But those charges were dropped without explanation when Harveymordenzenk pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.

The court heard Harveymordenzenk had been out at an after-shift party with off-duty colleagues in the hours before the crash, but no evidence was offered in the case about whether the former officer had been drinking.

The inquiry is expected to examine many issues, including the lack of evidence collected by the East St. Paul police, the decision by the independent prosecutor to accept the plea bargain and whether the prosecutor kept the Taman family informed about developments in the case, as is required under provincial law.

Hearings are expected to take place in June, July and August. The commissioner is scheduled to deliver a final report to the province's attorney general by Sept. 30.