Eetooloo Ejetsiak: Video shows Nunavut RCMP hitting naked prisoner

CBC News has obtained a video shown in a Nunavut courtroom earlier this month that appears to showa police officer hitting anaked prisoner in the head in an RCMP cell.

Eetooloo Ejetsiak's lawyer entered the video as evidence in court earlier this month. The lawyer provided the video toCBC.

Ejetsiak was arrested in Iqaluit on Jan. 2 for causing a disturbance. RCMP placed him in the cell just after 8 p.m.

The nine-minute long videobegins with Ejetsiak being throwninto the cell by RCMP officers, with his pants around his ankles. He paces alone for about four minutes. At one point he stuffs his pants into the toilet.

Ejetsiak removes his shirt and ties the sleeves around his neck. He sits.

An officer with a Taserenters the cell, along with two other officers, who remove his clothing.As the officersbegin to leave the cell, Ejetsiak gets up and starts walking towards them. One officer pushes him back, and Ejetsiak kicks at him.

The officergrabs him by the wrist and appears to hithim in the head. He pushesEjetsiak back onto the bench, then to the floor.

After the officers leave, Ejetsiak crouches on the floor, almost motionless,as a pool of what appears to be blood forms under his face.

A month later Ejetsiak'slawyers showed the video in court as part of his defence to plea forleniency on eight charges, most stemming from death threatsEjetsiakhas made to judges, police officers, family members and others.

The Crown lawyer argued the video was taken out of context and that the use of force was appropriate.

The judge sided with the Crown, saying she would need to hear from the three officers involved to get the necessary context. She sentenced Ejetsiak to nearly threeyears in a federal prison.

In a statement Feb. 18, Nunavut RCMP said that while in custody,Ejetsiakremoved some of his clothing and "clearly demonstrated that he was posing a risk to himself."

RCMP say officers removedEjetsiaksclothing to prevent him from harming himself.Ejetsiakthen became agitated and "assaultive," resulting in a police use of force.

The Ottawa Police Service has been tasked with doing an external review of the incident.