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Page 31 Paying the Toll in two sports. 604-463-2281
June 11, 2010
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Tiny teen girl’s lawyer angry at dog attack
36 pages
HOCKEY LADD’S CUP RUNNETH OVER
Police dog injures girl. AMY STEELE asteele@mrtimes.com
A
Maple Ridge defence lawyer is outraged that his 16-year-old female client had to be hospitalized after police used a dog to arrest her Tuesday evening. Desmond Leflufy pointed out that the girl, who can’t be named, is around five-foot-three and probably between 85 and 90 pounds. “It’s quite possible the police dog that bit her was about the same weight as she was and of course much, much stronger,” said Leflufy. “Her hand has been punctured. It’s not clear what further damage exists, whether there’s tendon or bone damage. She was seen at Ridge Meadows Hospital and discharged for her court appearance (Wednesday) but she doesn’t look too healthy. She’s gauzed up and it’s clear that the dog had a pretty good go at her.” RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Peter Thiessen said there were outstanding warrants for her arrest. “In this particular case we knew for a fact that this individuQUOTE: al had outstanding warrants. She “It’s quite actively and knowingly fled from possible the the police attempting to avoid an arrest. We were called initially police dog by her mother in regards to her that bit her whereabouts so there’s certainly was about an onus on us to locate the indithe same vidual,” said Thiessen. “She was weight as located on a particular property she was.” which she was not associated Desmond to. She was requested to come Leflufy out from where she was hiding. There was a refusal and the dog ultimately secured her arrest and there was a slight injury to her hand as she attempted to struggle free.” Leflufy said he is “highly concerned about the circumstances.” “Police dogs are very powerful weapons and they are never deployed to apprehend any person, let alone a diminutive teenage girl without injuries resulting,” he said. “They have to be used with a great deal of discretion and responsibility and the exact circumstances of last night’s apprehension are yet to be determined.” Thiessen said police officers make decisions about using a police dog “based on the information at hand” and there is no “blanket policy.” “I can certainly say each case is assessed on a large number of factors,” he said. The young offender will make her next court appearance on June 16.
John J. Kim/Chicago Sun-Times
Oops, he did it again! Maple Ridge’s Andrew Ladd (you can spot his bearded face directly above the cup with his tongue sticking out) will have another Stanley Cup ring to wear on his hand after the Chicago Blackhawks edged the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime Wednesday night — with Ladd scoring the third goal of the game. Ladd, who had missed on a breakaway earlier, cleverly redirected Niklas Hjalmarsson’s point shot at 17:43, to give the Hawks a 3-2 lead to take into the third period. Ladd won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and brought the cup to town for a massive celebration.
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