Family seeking justice, financial support in Bennis murder case

Each year, Samir Shaheen-Hussain comes to Kent Parc to pay respects to Mohammed Anas Bennis – a 25-year-old man who was shot to death by a police officer in Cote des Neiges.

“He was basically leaving the mosque walking back home and presumably bumped into two police officers,” said Shaheen-Hussain.

It happened on December 1, 2005.

Anas Bennis was coming out of a mosque early that morning and reportedly stabbed an officer with a kitchen knife — which is completely out of character for him, his family says.

Shaheen-hussain was touched by the story.

He’s a member of the Justice for Anas Coalition, which spoke out on Tuesday with the Bennis family.

They were joined by Alain Arsenault, the family’s lawyer, and Philippe Robert de Massy, representing human rights organization, “La Ligue des droits et libertes”.

“My question really was, “˜What happened on that morning that lead to one person dead?’,” said Shaheen-Hussain.

After years of fighting for a public inquiry, the coroner’s office finally agreed to hold one in 2008.

Except, the coroner’s office has refused to pay the Bennis family’s legal fees.

The victim’s father, Mohamed Bennis, says without government funding, his family has no option but to boycott the inquest.

Supporters say the justice department should cover the legal costs.

A precedent has already been set, they argue.

The justice department paid legal fees for the family of Fredy Villaneuva during that coroner’s inquest.

Villaneuva was killed during a police scuffle in Montreal North on August 9, 2008.

The costly inquest recently wrapped up.

“If we are a fair society we have to pay for both sides, not only for a policeman, who will be very well defended by lawyers costing $500 or $600 an hour,” said Montreal city councillor Richard Bergeron.

There is another problem – the Justice for Anas Coalition has been denied intervenor status at the inquest.

This group has worked with the family since Anas Bennis’ death seeking the truth behind his killing.

The coalition says they’ve done extensive research into the case and can show numerous flaws in the investigation.

“We basically came up with over 100 questions…that basically highlight inconsistencies, contradictions in terms of the police versions of events,” said Shaheen-Hussain.

They believe Anas Bennis may have been a victim of racial profiling.

As for the victim’s family, they are simply seeking the truth.

“We have had a feeling of injustice for so long, it hurts,” Mohamed Bennis said in French.

The inquest for his son begins Wednesday in Laval, Que.

This location is another source of contention for the family, since most of their supporters live in the Cote-des-Neiges area of Montreal, where Anas Bennis was killed.