Myles Gray Death Hearing Resumes Following Obscene Remark Controversy

Public Hearing into Myles Gray's Death Resumes Amidst Controversy

A public hearing examining the 2015 death of Myles Gray in Vancouver, British Columbia, has resumed after an unexpected delay caused by an obscene remark broadcast during proceedings last week. The incident led to the resignation of the public hearing counsel and has cast uncertainty over the timeline of the inquiry, which seeks to address questions surrounding Gray's death following a confrontation with Vancouver police officers.

Background of the 2015 Incident and Subsequent Inquiries

Myles Gray, 33, died on August 13, 2015, after an altercation with seven Vancouver Police Department (VPD) officers in Burnaby, B.C. He sustained extensive blunt force injuries, including ruptured testicles, a broken voice box, a fractured eye socket, and widespread bruising. A paramedic who attended to Gray noted that his bruising was so severe it initially caused confusion regarding his race.

A coroner's inquest in May 2023 classified Gray's death as a homicide, a neutral term indicating that the death resulted from injuries inflicted by another person. The inquest jury recommended the expedited implementation of police body cameras and improved de-escalation training. However, a subsequent Police Act investigation in October 2024 found no misconduct by the officers involved, deeming allegations of abuse of authority and neglect of duty 'not substantiated.' This finding was met with disappointment by Gray's family.

The current public hearing, initiated by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) in January 2026, aims to address 'meaningful uncertainty' and 'discrepancies and inconsistencies' in police statements, despite the earlier Police Act investigation's conclusions.

Obscene Remark Leads to Counsel's Resignation

The hearing was abruptly halted last week, around January 22, 2026, when an obscene remark was heard on the public audio livestream during testimony by Sgt. Robert Nash, an RCMP officer. The phrase 'stupid c--t' was picked up by microphones in the hearing room.

In the aftermath, public hearing counsel Brad Hickford resigned on Monday, January 26, 2026, citing the incident and an ongoing investigation by the B.C. Law Society. His lawyer stated that while Hickford could not recall making the remark, he acknowledged the possibility that he did so unintentionally. Adjudicator Elizabeth Arnold-Bailey expressed her hope for Hickford's return, highlighting that rescheduling the 10-week hearing could lead to significant delays, potentially between 6 to 12 months.

The Path Forward for the Inquiry

The hearing was scheduled to resume on Tuesday morning, January 27, 2026, with initial discussions focusing on Hickford's role rather than the substantive evidence related to Gray's death. The family of Myles Gray has consistently sought accountability for his death, and these recent delays add to a prolonged process that has spanned over a decade.