Anatomy of a beating

Along with its report, Citizens Opposed to Police Brutality is submitting an appendix that meticulously reconstructs the events leading to the killings of the 20 men by the MUC police. The detached, step-by-step accounts of each incident make for surprisingly gripping reading.

Only three of the men had firearms when they died. Seven were unarmed, one held a club, one a pellet gun; the rest had knives. Two died after being sprayed with pepper spray.

Some of the accounts are only a few lines long, but an exhaustive account is given of the beating of Richard Barnabé. After shouting "Shoot me!" to the police arresting him, ranting about needles, Satan, Hitler and God, then spitting and later bleeding on the police, things got really ugly. Here is the COPB's version of the final beating in jail, based on media reports, the findings of the ethic's commission and the coroner's report:

• Richard Barnabé tries to bite officer Karl Anderson.
• RB tries to grasp KA's genitals.
• Noises come from the cell.
• Officer Manon Cadotte exits to get gloves.
• Officer Louis Samson tries to control head.
• The group falls to the floor.
• Officer André Lapointe keeps head to ground.
• AL bends left arm back.
• KA locks right arm.
• MC removes shoes.
• RB resists. Movement of legs like a cyclist.
• Request for restraints.
• Officer Michel Vadeboncoeur exits for restraints.
• AL applies knee to right shoulder blade.
• LS bends left arm.
• LS and RB pulling out hair.
• MC, MV remove pants.
• Officer Anjèle Joyal visits.
• MV, MC, AL, PB present while RB is face down on the ground.
• MV orders AJ: "Close the door."
• AJ exits cell.
• AJ closes door.
• Handcuffs are reapplied.
• KA cuts shirt.
• Officer rips a glove.
• MC exits for more gloves.
• MC requests Richard Piché's help.
• Handcuffs are re-applied.
• RB resists.
• MC returns to the cell.
• Request for restraints.
• MV exits for restraints.
• MV passes in front of officer Michel Pohu.
• MV returns to cell with restraints.
• MC exits, discards gloves, washes hands in kitchen.
• Ankles are attached.
• MP visits the cell.
• MC asks officer Stéphane Veillette when she will be relieved.
• Search for a garbage bag for clothes.
• MV, AL, LS, PB present. RB face down on the bench.
• MP speaks: "That's enough!"
• LA or PB speaks: "We've finished. He'll be ready to go."
• MP speaks: "Be careful! Do it gently!"
• MP exits.
• Officer visits cell.
• The officer speaks: "Beat him up, but not too hard."
• AL answers: "No, we're just doing enough to control him."
• KA exits to look for gloves.
• Urine.
• Other officers exit.
• MV takes pulse.
• Skin colour changes.
• MV speaks: "We're not sure if it's his pulse or mine." Paramedics arrive with stretcher.

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