Adjudicator Orders Myles Gray Hearing to Continue Despite Lawyer's Resignation Over Vulgar Remark
The adjudicator presiding over the public hearing into the fatal beating of Myles Gray by Vancouver police has directed that proceedings should continue, despite the weekend resignation of the lawyer appointed by the Office of Police Complaints Commissioner over a vulgar remark that disrupted the hearing.
Resignation Letter Read to Hearing
Brad Hickford, who was not present at Monday's session, requested that his resignation letter be read to the hearing as it entered its second week. In the letter, Hickford expressed regret that the hearing had been derailed, while simultaneously denying that he had intentionally made the offensive comment.
Adjudicator Elizabeth Arnold-Bailey immediately followed the reading of Hickford's resignation with a detailed account of all the work he had completed over the past year in preparation for this public hearing. She urged the other lawyers involved to find a way for Hickford to continue with his role despite the controversy.
The Controversial Incident
The 10-week hearing was abruptly halted after just two and a half days last week when a male voice was captured on the audio system uttering a vulgarity, specifically the C-word, presumably directed at a female lawyer representing one of the seven police officers involved in the case.
On Monday, that lawyer was identified as Claire Hatcher, who represents one of the officers. The Law Society of British Columbia has confirmed it is investigating the source of the comment.
Hickford's Position and Adjudicator's Ruling
In his resignation letter, Hickford stated he did not recall making the comment and described himself as "bewildered" after hearing the audio recording. Through his lawyer, Richard Neary, Hickford added that the vulgar term wouldn't necessarily have been directed at a woman, suggesting that men sometimes use such language among themselves on construction sites.
Adjudicator Arnold-Bailey noted that it wasn't clear from the recording who had uttered the remark or whether it was directed at a female lawyer or even at herself. She ruled that the hearing should proceed and leave the matter to be handled by the Law Society's investigation.
"Why let the uttering of a few vulgar words destroy the work that's already been done?" Arnold-Bailey questioned during the proceedings.
Timeline Concerns and Next Steps
The adjudicator expressed concern about the hearing's timeline, warning that if proceedings cannot continue over the next scheduled 10 weeks, it could take six to twelve months to reschedule. This would significantly delay the public examination of Myles Gray's death at the hands of Vancouver police officers.
The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday morning to allow lawyers time to respond to Arnold-Bailey's directive to find a way forward with Hickford's continued participation. The case continues to draw significant public attention as it examines the circumstances surrounding Gray's fatal encounter with law enforcement.
