Charges to be dropped against First Nations Chief Allan Adam

The Crown will drop charges against First Nations Chief Allan Adam, who is accused of resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer, CBC News has learned.

An unnamed RCMP source, who is not authorized to speak to the media, confirms that the Alberta crown decided to drop the charges because they were not in the public interest.

Adam’s first court date is scheduled for later today. He is not expected to appear in person.

In the nearly 12-minute video obtained by CBC News, an agitated Adam swears repeatedly at the police officers, accuses the RCMP of harassing him and removes his jacket after RCMP pulled behind his idling truck outside the Boomtown Casino in Fort McMurray, Alta..

There is more arguing and Adam gets back into the passenger seat. The officer is seen pushing the woman against the truck and yanking her by the shoulder as she shouts, “Ow!”

“Hey! Leave my wife alone! You come for me,” Adam says, before swatting the officer’s hands away from the woman.

About seven minutes into the video, a second officer runs at Adam, grabs him by the neck and shoulders and tackles him to the ground.

“Don’t resist, sir!” the officer yells, as he straddles the chief. That officer can be seen punching Adam in the side of the head with one arm while holding him down with the other.

“My name is Chief Allan Adam,” Adam says as the two officers pin him down.

The officers eventually handcuff the chief, pull him up and lead him toward the cruiser. His face is bloodied. His laboured breathing can be heard inside the police vehicle toward the end of the video.

Adam’s lawyer Brian Beresh has dismissed criticism that Adam is responsible for escalating the situation. He said his client responded the way he did because he knows how police have treated Indigenous people.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the incident shocking and has called for an independent inquiry.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, the province’s police watchdog, is now investigating.

CBC