Margie Gray says the end of a coroner害羞草研究所檚 inquest into the death of her son has shown the public what she has known all along: that Vancouver police officers beat her son to death when he was vulnerable and needed help.

Gray said the classification of her son Myles Gray害羞草研究所檚 death as homicide by the inquest jury brought her some relief, nearly eight years after he died.

害羞草研究所淧eople know the truth and that to me is a huge, huge piece,害羞草研究所� she said in an interview on Tuesday from her home on British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 Sunshine Coast.

The coroner presiding over the two-week inquest, Larry Marzinzik, had advised the jury before deliberation began that homicide meant death due to injury intentionally inflicted by another person, but it害羞草研究所檚 a neutral term that doesn害羞草研究所檛 imply fault or blame.

害羞草研究所淲e all know that害羞草研究所檚 what it was,害羞草研究所� Gray said of the classification.

害羞草研究所淭hat came right from (the pathologist).害羞草研究所�

Dr. Matthew Orde, the forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy on Gray害羞草研究所檚 body, told the inquest last week that a 害羞草研究所減erfect storm害羞草研究所� of factors led to his death, including his extreme physical exertion as officers struggled to restrain him.

Orde said the 33-year-old died of cardiac arrest complicated by police actions and pointed specifically to 害羞草研究所渘eck compression,害羞草研究所� blunt force injuries, the use of pepper spray and holding Gray on his stomach while his arms were handcuffed behind his back.

害羞草研究所淚n the context of someone who害羞草研究所檚 extremely fatigued, (whose) body is fully ramped up 害羞草研究所� I think these issues would be enough to tip him over the edge,害羞草研究所� Orde said.

People who are forcibly restrained on their stomach are at greater risk of death, especially when their body has increased physiological demands, he testified.

The officers who testified at the inquest often used similar language to describe Gray害羞草研究所檚 behaviour, saying he was grunting and yelling in an 害羞草研究所渁nimalistic害羞草研究所� way.

They said he displayed 害羞草研究所渟uperhuman strength害羞草研究所� and he didn害羞草研究所檛 seem to be feeling any pain as they punched him in the head and struck him with their batons.

One officer said Gray害羞草研究所檚 screams were 害羞草研究所渄emonic.害羞草研究所�

Gray害羞草研究所檚 mother said the officers 害羞草研究所渃ouldn害羞草研究所檛 have dehumanized Myles more.害羞草研究所�

She said her son was vulnerable that day, and he needed help.

害羞草研究所淚f you see somebody wearing no shoes, you would get a sense that they害羞草研究所檙e having a vulnerable moment and what they need is help and compassion,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淭hey don害羞草研究所檛 need to be beat to death.害羞草研究所�

The pathologist found Gray had a long list of injuries, including a fractured eye socket, nose, rib and voice box, ruptured testicles and extensive bruising.

Orde had originally listed 害羞草研究所渆xcited delirium害羞草研究所� among the possible contributing factors in Gray害羞草研究所檚 death. Many of the 14 Vancouver police officers who testified at the inquest also used the contentious term describing a state of agitation.

However, Orde revised that finding during his testimony at the inquest, saying published data and research suggest it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渜uite unlikely害羞草研究所� that so-called excited delirium syndrome could independently result in someone害羞草研究所檚 death.

害羞草研究所淎cute behavioural disturbance害羞草研究所� is a better description of what Gray was experiencing on the day he died, Orde told the five-member jury.

The jury害羞草研究所檚 verdict on Monday was not unanimous, with four of the five members agreeing.

The jury made two recommendations aimed at the Vancouver Police Department, with expediting the use of body-worn cameras for all patrol officers at the top of the list, followed by enhanced crisis de-escalation training for officers, especially in situations where someone is experiencing a mental-health disturbance.

The initial 911 call on the day Gray died was about an agitated man who was behaving erratically and who had sprayed a woman with a garden hose.

The first police officer who responded to the call told the inquest she called for backup because Gray was acting aggressively and she feared for her safety.

Another officer testified that he was trained in crisis negotiation and initially tried to talk with Gray, but deployed pepper spray as Gray 害羞草研究所渃harged害羞草研究所� at police.

Margie Gray described her son as a gentle soul.

害羞草研究所淔rom what I take from all his friends sharing stories, he was a very positive influence on them. If they were having a bad day or problems in their lives, they turned to him, and Myles tried to motivate them,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 getting stories I害羞草研究所檝e never heard of before, quite often, and it害羞草研究所檚 so nice to hear.害羞草研究所�

Gray said she will be watching for the results of a disciplinary hearing set to take place later this year over the conduct of several officers on the day her son died.

Gray害羞草研究所檚 parents filed a civil lawsuit in 2016 against the City of Vancouver, its police department, the police board and nearly a dozen unnamed officers.

The family hasn害羞草研究所檛 yet had a conversation about how to proceed with the existing civil suit, Gray said, but she assumes they will move ahead with it.

Premier David Eby was asked about the inquest verdict at an unrelated event on Tuesday and said it害羞草研究所檚 a chance to 害羞草研究所渞eflect on the terribly tragedy of Mr. Gray害羞草研究所檚 death.害羞草研究所�

The province is looking at the jury害羞草研究所檚 recommendations, as it害羞草研究所檚 important to learn as much as possible to prevent similar deaths from happening in the future, he said.

害羞草研究所淚 just want to send my condolences out to Mr. Gray害羞草研究所檚 family and friends,害羞草研究所� the premier said. 害羞草研究所淚t must have been an incredibly difficult process, but I害羞草研究所檓 glad they were able to get the information they (needed) about what happened.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所擝renna Owen, The Canadian Press

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