Majority verdict ruled taxi driver died of "unlawful killing" by police in 2012
發佈日期: 2025-07-31 20:15
TVB News
The Coroner's Court ruled that a taxi driver was killed unlawfully, after a jury entered a majority verdict of 4-1.
This was the second time that the Coroner's Court found the driver's cause of death to be unlawful.
The case dated back to 2012 when the 65-year-old taxi driver died a month after a police officer put him in a chokehold during an arrest.
The tragedy stems from a fare dispute back in November 2012.
The taxi driver Chan Fai-wong allegedly assaulted a Japanese passenger at a toll booth at the Western Harbour Crossing.
Police officer Lam Wai-wing put his arm around Chan's neck and tried to pull him up to a police vehicle.
After one month of hospitalisation, Chan died from complications that arose from a cervical dislocation.
Early in 2018, the Coroner's Court found the driver to have been unlawfully killed.
The ruling was later quashed by the High Court in 2022 after the police constable involved applied for a judicial review.
The case was returned to the Coroner's Court for a second inquest.
Coroner Raymond Chow earlier guided the jury that they should consider whether the act of a chokehold by police officer Lam was intentional, illegal and dangerous.
The jury was given five options -- unlawful killing, accident, misadventure, natural causes or an open verdict.
Five jurors included three men and two women reached a majority verdict of unlawful killing by 4-1 on Thursday afternoon.
The inquest jury pointed out that there was misconduct on the part of the police officer who posed a threat to the taxi driver's life during the arrest.
They suggested installing surveillance cameras in police cars to ensure the safety of arrestees.
Two daughters of the deceased left the court without speaking to the press.
However, in a later statement, they urged the Department of Justice to restart a criminal investigation.
Following the ruling, Secretary for Security Chris Tang was asked by reporters if the constable involved is still serving in the force.
Tang said he was.
He then said the authorities will decide their next step after studying the judgment.
He said it may be quite controversial to set up cameras in police cars as arrestees may not want to be filmed.
