Art Dagenais

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Art Dagenais
Other names * Arthur Dagenais
  • Joseph Hermenegilde Arthur Lafond Dagenais
Born 1938-08-14
Died 2020-07-14 (81 years)
Saskatchewan
Occupation farmer
Known for impeded efforts to arrest his son, after he gunned down police officers

Art Dagenais or Arthur Dagenais was a Canadian farmer, from Saskatchewan, best known for his troubled interactions with law enforcement officials, after his son, Curtis Dagenais, shot and killed two police officers, in July 2006.[1]

His son was at large for close to two weeks after fatally shooting the police officers, and police arrested the elder Dagenais, during this period.[2][3] He was held for several weeks, and some of his neighbours circulated a petition calling on authorities to continue to hold him.

Dagenais was tazed during a vehicle inspectin, on October 26, 2007.[4] Dagenais accused the officer, Kenneth Palen, of trying to kill him. Palen sued Dagenais for defamation. In February 2013 a court ruled in Palen's favour. Palen had sought $300,000 in damages. The court ordered Dagenais to pay $10,000, plus Palen's legal expenses. He was also prohibited from repeating allegations against Palen. The vehicle inspection was recorded on video. After viewing the video the judge acknowledged Dagenais did fall to the ground, but he agreed with Palen's account, that Dagenais's fall was due to tripping on a crack. He noted no sign of a tazer, and that Palen was not nearby when Dagenais fell.

DUring a search of his vehicle, in August 2012, while trying to visit his son, in prison, officials found two boxes of ammunition, in plain view.[4] The spotting of the visible ammunition occurred during an attempt to visit his son during a period when his visiting privileges had been suspended.[5] The visit triggered a misdemeanor charge of mischief, for which he was acquitted.[6] Police would later get a search warrant, for his home, which triggered charges of improper weapons storage. Police found seven weapons.

On October 29, 2013, a judge ruled that there were constitutional problems with the search warrant, making the evidence seized inadmissable.[7]

References

  1. Sean Leslie. Art Dagenais’ court battles continue, Saskatchewan Now, 2013-11-05. Retrieved on 2022-06-14. “Last week, the warrant used in the search was deemed unconstitutional by a judge, meaning all evidence obtained as a result of the search would be inadmissible.”
  2. Saskatchewan police scale back manhunt, CBC News, 2006-07-13. Retrieved on 2022-06-14. “Herb Jaster, the suspect's uncle,told CBC News he was not shocked by the accusations against his nephew — or his father, Arthur Dagenais, who has been charged with obstruction of justice in the police search to find his son and remains in jail.”
  3. Petition calls for Dagenais's father to remain in custody, CBC News, 2006-08-14. Retrieved on 2022-06-14. “The elder Dagenais was arrested while police searched for his son after the officers were fatally shot near Spiritwood on July 7 following a high-speed chase. Arthur Dagenais was charged with obstruction.”
  4. 4.0 4.1 Thia James. Court orders Arthur Dagenais to pay $10K to defamed Mountie, Prince Albert Now, 2013-02-22. Retrieved on 2022-06-14.
  5. Art Dagenais arrested, Saskatoon Today, 2012-09-05. Retrieved on 2022-06-14. “Art Dagenais, father of convicted killer Curt Dagenais, was arrested and taken into custody last week. He appeared in Prince Albert both last Friday and again Tuesday.”
  6. Art Dagenais headed to trial on firearms charges, CTV News, 2013-11-06. Retrieved on 2022-06-14.
  7. Dad of Mountie killer had rights breached during home search: judge, Global News, 2013-10-29. Retrieved on 2022-06-14. “The judge said because conditions of the search warrant used by RCMP were not met, the search was illegal and the guns cannot be used as evidence.”