Boden Umpherville's future is still uncertain, say family members. (submitted)

By Susan McNeil

Crime

Family of man tased by police looking for justice

Apr 21, 2023 | 1:27 PM

Boden Umpherville is still laying in a Saskatoon hospital bed with an uncertain prognosis, weeks after being tased multiple times by Prince Albert Police in an arrest caught on video by a witness.

His family is looking to SIRT, the provincially mandated Serious Incident Response Team, to do a fair investigation into the actions of PAPS officers earlier this month.

“We want justice obviously. We don’t want hidden facts, we want it to be exactly what it is,” said Chase Sinclair, Boden’s adopted brother. “We would expect that it would be timely – like fast – accurate, true, honourable and to the cause, so that the cause is fixed.”

He and Boden’s birth brother Darry Umpherville said that if anyone other than a police officer had done the same thing, they would be charged.

The fact that more information is not available yet is a source of frustration that shows how unequal the balance of power is, they said.

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“Without action, what they’re saying is that this is allowed to happen and it’s not,” Sinclair said.

Boden’s injuries include broken orbital bones on both sides of his face, a laceration over his left eye that took 17 staples to close, five staples closing other injuries and multiple other lacerations.

He also has multiple burn marks from being tased and is considered ‘brain-dead’ according to family. They have said when he is taken off life-support, he will die.

Boden Umpherville remains in hospital in Saskatoon. (submitted)

According to the FSIN, doctors have said that Boden having no heart beat for 20 minutes contributed to his current condition.

In the video that was posted to social media, multiple police officers are seen trying to get a man – confirmed to be Boden by his family – out of a vehicle.

One officer can be heard saying, “this is your last warning, get out” of the car. The conducted energy weapon is then used, and an officer says, “he ripped it out”.

CEWs work by implanting two darts into the target. When both are embedded, an electrical current is discharged and the person generally is incapacitated temporarily.

While Boden has had dealings with the criminal justice system in the past, the FSIN pointed out that he had been out of jail for three years.

His brothers say that he has been giving presentations to youth about lifestyle choices.

Family members including Verna Umpherville, Boden’s mother, his adopted brother Chase Sinclair, brother Darry Umpherville and FSIN Vice Chief Edward Dutch Lerat spoke to media today about their concerns. (screenshot/paNOW)

According to statements from Prince Albert Police following the incident, Boden had a bench warrant out for his arrest and there was a loaded gun in the vehicle, although they did not say who it belonged to.

Two other people were in the vehicle when it was pulled over, including the registered owner. Police said that the car had been reported stolen earlier that day.

FSIN said in a statement that they know that nine officers were given a one-week suspension after the incident and all are now back at work.

SIRT was formally created on January 1 of this year and is led by a civilian. Their job is to examine the conduct of the police and will release a report within 90 days of the end of their investigation.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com