HEARD ONLY ONE EXPLOSIVE DEVICE, OFFICER TELLS FATALITY INQUIRY

EDMONTON - A city police officer testified Wednesday he gently lobbed
a "flash-bang" device inside a Belvedere- area apartment where two men
fell to their deaths.

Const. David Schening told a provincial fatality inquiry into the
deaths that he was following the tactical unit's plan on Sept. 24,
1999 to execute a warrant at 12945 65th Street.

The raid was part of a sweep by 300 police officers at 40 Edmonton
homes and businesses that led to dozens of arrests on charges of
cocaine trafficking and membership in a criminal gang.

Adam Stanley Miller, 21, of Edmonton and Huu Dinh Pham, 15, of Calgary
both died of massive head injuries after they fell four storeys from
the apartment's balcony into a parking lot.

The raid began with an officer ramming the apartment's door three or
four times before it swung open, Schening said.

He then tossed a flash-bang device into an open area near the kitchen.
A flash-bang device emits noise, bright light and smoke to act as a
diversion for police.

A police officer outside the apartment building was supposed to throw
a second flash-bang onto the balcony about the same time, but Schening
said he didn't hear it go off.

After he helped put several people in the suite into handcuffs,
Schening said he ran down to the parking lot to help a paramedic
assigned to the tactical unit administer first aid to the two men.

Schening's testimony was cut short Wednesday afternoon by a lawyer
representing police Chief Bob Wasylyshen.

Simon Johnson asked provincial court Judge Leo Wenden to postpone the
inquiry because he is challenging a ruling that allows the Edmonton
Journal, the Edmonton Sun and CBC into the courtroom for in-camera
discussions about police tactics, as well as access to documents
outlining police procedures.

Lawyers were to argue today about the possible postponement.

"We believe we have a need to protect the techniques we use,"
Wasylyshen said later.

"The reason for that is to protect the safety of our officers when
they go in and do their work. It wouldn't be in their best interests
or the public's best interests, or perhaps a suspect's best interests,
to know what the techniques were going to be."