COCAINE PSYCHOSIS BLAMED FOR DEATH

A condition known as "cocaine psychosis" was pinpointed as the main
cause of Lyndon Charles Valan's death after Sidney/North Saanich RCMP
tried to subdue him last November.

Dr. Daniel Straathof, the forensic pathologist who performed Valan's
autopsy, said he concluded the 32-year-old Sidney man died after
taking cocaine and ending up with cocaine-associated agitated
delirium, a state marked by such symptoms as manic behaviour, paranoia
and an unusual burst of strength.

Straathof added that the delirium occurred "in the context of police
restraint," and that a pre-existing enlarged heart and thickened heart
wall may have been contributing factors in Valan's death.

An inquest is mandatory whenever a person dies in police custody.
Coroner Beth Larcombe told the jury of three men and two women
Wednesday that they are part of a "fact-finding" process.

"No one is on trial, and you are not to judge the guilt or innocence
of anyone."

Larcombe recounted the incident that led to the death, explaining it
began when police received 911 calls from a home on Melville Drive.
Police arrived to find an irrational Valan outside the house holding a
box cutter and a kitchen knife.

After dropping the items and allowing the officers to handcuff him "he
resisted them with 'superhuman' strength," Larcombe said.

The jury heard that despite having four officers struggling to control
him and settle him down, Valan still managed to rise to a kneeling
position. After that, he suddenly stopped breathing. An ambulance
arrived and began life-saving efforts before taking him to Saanich
Peninsula Hospital about 2 a.m., Nov. 29. He died just after 3:30 a.m.

Under questioning from Helen Roberts, lawyer for the Department of
Justice and the RCMP, Straathof said he was not an expert in the
parameters for restraint being used but believed it to be "a
reasonable course of action."

Straathof had earlier testified he found some bruising and abrasions
on Valan's body during his examination, but said the wounds were
largely superficial, and could not be directly tied to his arrest.

Dr. Stuart Huskin, a toxicologist, told the inquest he examined
various samples of tissues and fluids from Valan's body and determined
he'd taken enough cocaine to cause death if it had been injected or
smoked, but not if it had been snorted.

The inquest is scheduled to conclude today.