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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Paramedic challenges claim of police assault

By: Mike McIntyre

Posted: 11/28/2012 1:00 AM

Henry Lavallee claims a Winnipeg police officer viciously assaulted him, resulting in major internal injuries.

But paramedics who treated Lavallee right after the alleged attack told court Tuesday they saw nothing seriously wrong with the career criminal.

Const. Ryan Law has pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault. He was arrested in 2009 after an internal investigation into an incident several months earlier.

Lavallee, 48, claims Law kicked him in the stomach and sent him to hospital for emergency care. He is expected to take the witness stand on Wednesday.

Lavallee has alleged an "unprovoked and brutal" assault by police after he and a friend were arrested for breaking into a vehicle. Lavallee claims he was attacked as he was pulled out of a police cruiser to be led into the Public Safety Building. He said he was placed in a lockup room, where he lay on the floor until Law entered and allegedly kicked him in the abdomen.

Lavallee alleges he requested medical care but was refused until he arrived at the Winnipeg Remand Centre and began vomiting blood. On Tuesday, one of the paramedics who responded to the call for help says Lavallee didn't show any visible signs of injury. There were no bruises, abrasions, welts or swelling of his stomach.

En route to hospital, he was making jokes and then launched several sexually crude comments toward female employees at the hospital, court was told.

"He didn't appear distressed," the paramedic told court.

Det. Sgt. Randy Levasseur was the lead investigator against Law. He testified Tuesday the officer's notes indicate Lavallee was belligerent and confrontational upon arrest, repeatedly calling Law a "b h" and shouting other profanities at him.

Lavallee has an extensive criminal record, which will likely lead to his credibility being challenged by defence lawyers.

www.mikeoncrime.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 28, 2012 A10