Don Dunphy case: RNC investigating leak of officer's email
Dunphy's family devastated by leak of letter, lawyer Erin Breen says
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Chief Bill Janes has ordered an internal investigation into the leak of an email written by the officer who shot Don Dunphy last week inside the man's home in Mitchells Brook.
CBC News published a copy of the 900-word letter, which the officer addressed to all RNC staff on Friday.
In the letter, the officer expresses no regret but the officer said he wishes some other kind of earlier intervention had been possible.
The officer, whom CBC News will not be naming out of safety concerns for him and his family, detailed his feelings on the highly publicized incident.
The officer shot Dunphy in his home, about 85 kilometres southwest of St. John's.
Family 'devastated' by leaked email
Meanwhile, Erin Breen, the lawyer representing the Dunphy family, said whoever leaked the email showed disrespect by doing so.
"Right now, we don't know for certain what interviews are left to be conducted, what information is coming into police," Breen said.
The family learned of the leaked letter on the day of Dunphy's funeral, said Breen, adding they are trying to come to grips that someone chose to leak it.
"It was a traumatic day for his daughter and then to have to deal with another release of information from the police to read that on that day was really devastating for her," she said in an interview with CBC News.
Breen said Janes is right to launch an internal investigation, noting employees with the RNC have a duty not to leak information that pertains to the investigation.
"If that came from an officer of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, if it was an officer who leaked that email, then that is actually conduct that is regulated under the act and under the regulations and is an offence under the act to give out that type of information to the press."
Some people who have been outraged by Dunphy's death have called for a judicial inquiry.
However, Breen said the Dunphy family is waiting for the RNC's investigation to be complete before deciding what to do next.