Public Transcript for the Death of My Son Steven
Donation protected
Access Public Transcripts Into The Inquest Into The Death of My Son Steven Rigby
On June 21-25, 2021; two years and six months after the tragic death of my son Steven Rigby, a public inquest was held. The purpose of the inquest was to bring all the facts into light that led up to the fateful night when police officers used lethal force to take away my son’s life – a compassionate, intelligent man who had been repeatedly denied medical treatment for his illness and was in unbearable pain.
As part of my vow to Steven when he was alive, it has been my mission to advocate for change on behalf of those suffering from mental illness so that his pain and anguish did not have to be anyone else’s. The transcripts from this inquest are a vital tool in my mission, and yet the policies in place have made access to them prohibitively expensive – almost as though the price tag was set as high as it has been so that the information and facts would remain buried forever.
It leads me to question if this truly was a public inquest, because the information is only available at a price. But burying the information will not save any lives.
For two years and six months, I did not know what happened on the night my son was taken from me, his family, and all the lives he has touched through his entire life. The emotional toll of the five day inquest has been immeasurable. There are still so many questions left unanswered, as I could only be an observer, not an asker. Pain and grief were my constant companion as I sat and listened to the witness statements. I watched the horrifying video footage of my son’s last moments when what I should have been doing that day was chatting with him on the phone about his day. But I wasn’t chatting with my son - I was once again enduring my gut-wrenching grief because I promised my son real change.
As I listened to the testimony, I tried to take notes, but holding that pen and putting it to paper while listening and watching, was impossible. The media present were tweeting and reporting on the information presented at the inquest, but it cannot even come close to covering the many relevant facts and details.
So that brings me to this platform in an appeal to gain access to what is inaccessible to me. Royal Reporting Services is the only authorized company that can provide transcripts – the recordings cannot be released so that I can have them transcribed myself. Again, a tactic designed to keep the public from knowing information that has been deemed public.
Royal Reporting Services charges $6.50 per typed page. With five full days of testimonies, we can expect a cost of over $6,500, depending on whether the transcripts are single spaced, double-spaced, margin size, etc.
I am appealing for donations from those who have just learned about Steven’s story. People who have been supporting me on this mission to implement real change in the way people suffering from mental illness are treated. I am appealing to those who knew Steven and knew how much love and compassion he possessed. And I am appealing to everyone who loves someone experiencing mental illness, because my mission is to help them.
Loves and Hugs, Carey
On June 21-25, 2021; two years and six months after the tragic death of my son Steven Rigby, a public inquest was held. The purpose of the inquest was to bring all the facts into light that led up to the fateful night when police officers used lethal force to take away my son’s life – a compassionate, intelligent man who had been repeatedly denied medical treatment for his illness and was in unbearable pain.
As part of my vow to Steven when he was alive, it has been my mission to advocate for change on behalf of those suffering from mental illness so that his pain and anguish did not have to be anyone else’s. The transcripts from this inquest are a vital tool in my mission, and yet the policies in place have made access to them prohibitively expensive – almost as though the price tag was set as high as it has been so that the information and facts would remain buried forever.
It leads me to question if this truly was a public inquest, because the information is only available at a price. But burying the information will not save any lives.
For two years and six months, I did not know what happened on the night my son was taken from me, his family, and all the lives he has touched through his entire life. The emotional toll of the five day inquest has been immeasurable. There are still so many questions left unanswered, as I could only be an observer, not an asker. Pain and grief were my constant companion as I sat and listened to the witness statements. I watched the horrifying video footage of my son’s last moments when what I should have been doing that day was chatting with him on the phone about his day. But I wasn’t chatting with my son - I was once again enduring my gut-wrenching grief because I promised my son real change.
As I listened to the testimony, I tried to take notes, but holding that pen and putting it to paper while listening and watching, was impossible. The media present were tweeting and reporting on the information presented at the inquest, but it cannot even come close to covering the many relevant facts and details.
So that brings me to this platform in an appeal to gain access to what is inaccessible to me. Royal Reporting Services is the only authorized company that can provide transcripts – the recordings cannot be released so that I can have them transcribed myself. Again, a tactic designed to keep the public from knowing information that has been deemed public.
Royal Reporting Services charges $6.50 per typed page. With five full days of testimonies, we can expect a cost of over $6,500, depending on whether the transcripts are single spaced, double-spaced, margin size, etc.
I am appealing for donations from those who have just learned about Steven’s story. People who have been supporting me on this mission to implement real change in the way people suffering from mental illness are treated. I am appealing to those who knew Steven and knew how much love and compassion he possessed. And I am appealing to everyone who loves someone experiencing mental illness, because my mission is to help them.
Loves and Hugs, Carey
Organizer and beneficiary
Carey Rigby-Wilcox
Organizer
Saskatoon, SK
Cindy Klassen
Beneficiary