Judge Adrian Brookes has dismissed RCMP Constable Arthur Dalman's application for a stay of proceedings.

By Tommy Osborne

Dale Culver

Judge rejects RCMP Officer’s Charter challenge in Dale Culver case

Jun 4, 2025 | 5:57 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Judge Adrian Brooks has dismissed RCMP Constable Arthur Dalman’s application for a stay of proceedings in the Dale Culver case. Dalman’s application claimed a breach of his Charter rights, but Brooks rejected this on June 3, 2025.

This case stems back to 2017, when Dale Culver died shortly after an arrest made by RCMP officers. The courts have ruled either a stay of proceedings or acquittals for four of five officers involved, although Dalman was found guilty by Brooks on July 25, 2024 for obstruction of justice. Dalman was charged due to instructing bystanders to delete cellphone footage of the arrest, and Brooks said at the time that Dalman’s testimony “is not worthy of any belief.”

As a result, Dalman’s next court appearance will be June 19, 2025, where a date for sentencing will be named. For Culver’s family, hearing this news has been described as “a mixed bag” of emotion.

“When I was reading the decision, I was quite emotional because this has been a long journey. And I know Indigenous people across Canada are crying that, and expressing themselves that the judicial system just does not meet the needs of Indigenous people when things go bad,” said Culver’s cousin Debbie Pierre.

Pierre says the fact there has been no official resolution in eight years since Culver’s death, with no official end in sight, has been emotionally taxing for the entire Culver family. Through this journey she hopes to see systemic change to both the justice system and policing.

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“We want to see transparency, we want to see and ensure that there’s a clear judicial process. Just like every other Canadian in Canada, when we do wrong or if there’s wrongdoing, we have to be held accountable. And when others are hurt, justice must be sought,” Pierre said.

“This is very important for Indigenous people around Canada. Indigenous groups, people in British Columbia, people in Canada, must stand up and say enough is enough, and that we must call for an inquiry across British Columbia and across Canada to ensure that we have oversight, oversight that can be led and guided by Indigenous people when indigenous people are involved with injuries or deaths from policing or security,” she continued.

Pierre added she has seen a lot of support from Indigenous groups, and she believes this case’s significance goes beyond just her family.

“It amplifies the need for systemic changes, for real changes. Not just something that we talk about, but actually do something about and see these changes in policing and security,” Pierre said.

Dalman was the only officer declared guilty by the court system, with the other officers involved seeing these results:

• Constables Paul Ste-Marie and Jean-Francois Monette saw their manslaughter charges stayed.
• Constable Clarence Macdonald’s obstruction charges were stayed.
• Sergeant Jon Eusebio Cruz was acquitted.

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