William H. Davies Explained

William H. Davies
Birth Place:Chilliwack, British Columbia
Birth Date:June 2, 1931
Death Date:June 3, 2017
Death Place:Chilliwack
Nationality:Canadian
Occupation:Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
Known For:Davies Commission Inquiry into the Death of Frank Paul[1]
Notable Works:"Alone and Cold" (2009)

William H. Davies Bill Davies, was a Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia (BCSC), Canada, from 1982 until his retirement in 1999.[2] In 2007 he was appointed Commissioner of the Davies Commission Inquiry which investigated circumstances around the 1998 death by hypothermia of Frank Paul, a Mi'kmaq homeless man.

Education

He graduating from University of British Columbia Law School in 1955.

Career

He articled with Baker, Newby LLP, then known as Wilson & Hinds Law Office in Chilliwack, where he became a partner in 1956.[3]

In 1978 Davies was appointed as a County Court of New Westminster in 1978, Bill started his new role as a judge.[3]

Davies served as Justice on the Supreme Court of British Columbia from 1982 until his retirement in 1999.[4] [2] [5]

He also served as Justice in the North West Territories.[2]

He retired in 1999.[2]

Davies Commission Inquiry

See main article: Davies Commission Inquiry.

Justice Davies was called out of retirement to chair the (2007 - 2009) Davies Commission Inquiry into the 1998 death by hypothermia of Frank Paul, a homeless Mi'kmaq man originally from Elsipogtog First Nation, New Brunswick.[1] According to the report, Paul died of hypothermia in an alley in east side Vancouver where he had been released by Vancouver police.[6] In his 446-page report, Justice Davies was "harshly critical" of the actions of Vancouver Police Department (VPD) in relation to Paul's death.[7] In his May 2011 report, "Alone and Cold: Criminal Justice Branch Response",[8] he questioned the decision "on the part of the crown prosecutors to not proceed with criminal charges against Sergeant Sanderson and Constable Instant in the death of Frank Paul."[9] Davies "ruled that the B.C.'s Criminal Justice Branch needed an overhaul to its conflict-of-interest policies that were brought up during the inquiry"[10] The Inquiry "resulted in the recommendation to establish the Independent Investigations Office which investigates officer-related incidents of death or serious harm in BC."[11]

Notes and References

  1. Alone and Cold: the Davies Commission Inquiry into the Death of Frank Paul . Interim Report . February 12, 2009 . February 15, 2018 . PDF . 440 . 978-0-7726-6065-7 . Victoria, BC . March 3, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190303171904/http://iiobc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/davies_commission_report.pdf . dead .
  2. Web site: William H. Davies . Obituary . The Province . June 10, 2017 . February 15, 2018 . Vancouver, BC . February 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180216143856/http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theprovince/obituary.aspx?pid=185765746 . live .
  3. News: November 1, 1989 . The Chilliwack Progress . Chilliwack . 15 . 1989 Citizen to be Recognized . February 15, 2018 . August 31, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180831104255/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/81438007/ . live .
  4. Web site: Members of the Supreme Court of British Columbia . The Courts of British Columbia . nd . February 15, 2018 . January 8, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190108203055/https://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/about_the_supreme_court/Judges_and_Masters_of_the_Supreme_Court.aspx . live .
  5. Web site: 50- and 60-Year Certificates . PDF . Benchers' Bulletin . Fall 2016 . February 15, 2018 . BC. Law Society . February 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180216030412/https://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/Website/media/Shared/docs/bulletin/BB_2016-03-Fall_Part2.pdf . dead .
  6. News: Justice system failed Frank Paul, left to die of hypothermia: report . CBC News . March 12, 2009 . February 15, 2018 . December 26, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171226100657/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/justice-system-failed-frank-paul-left-to-die-of-hypothermia-report-1.800186 . live .
  7. News: Crown erred in Frank Paul case: lawyer . CBC News . November 4, 2010 . February 15, 2018 . March 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180319003827/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/crown-erred-in-frank-paul-case-lawyer-1.882752 . live .
  8. William H. . Davies . Alone and Cold: Criminal Justice Branch Response . May 19, 2011 . PDF . February 15, 2018 . 191 . 978-0-7726-6379-5 . July 26, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180726175205/https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/law-crime-and-justice/about-bc-justice-system/inquiries/daviescommission-finalreport.pdf . live .
  9. Book: Razack, Sherene . Dying from Improvement: Inquests and Inquiries into Indigenous Deaths in Custody . 9781442628915 . May 13, 2015 . 328 . University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division. In References and Footnotes section
  10. News: Justice William H. Davies Passes In Chilliwack – The Judge Involved In The Frank Paul Inquiry . Fraser Valley News . June 10, 2017 . February 15, 2018 . February 16, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180216030547/http://fraservalleynewsnetwork.com/2017/06/09/justice-william-h-davies-passes-in-chilliwack-the-judge-involved-in-the-frank-paul-inquiry/ . live .
  11. News: The Honourable Mr. Justice William H. Davies, Q. C. June 2, 1931 - June 3, 2017 . June 10, 2017 . February 15, 2018 . The Globe and Mail . May 24, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240524112056/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/ . live .

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