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Montreal

Villanueva police-shooting inquest resumes Oct. 26

A coroner's inquest into the police shooting death of a Montreal teenager is set to resume this fall after it was postponed earlier this year because of wrangling over legal fees.
Lilian Villanueva, mother of Fredy Villanueva, holds her grandson, Diego, as Denis Mas, left, and Jeffrey Sagor-Mtllus watch at a press conference in Montreal in May 2009. ((Canadian Press))
A coroner's inquest into the police shooting death of a Montreal teenager is set to resume this fall after it was postponed earlier this year because of wrangling over legal fees.

The inquest is investigating the August 2008 death of Fredy Villanueva, who was shot and killed by Montreal police during an altercation in the city's north end.

Quebec Court Judge Robert Sansfaon, who is acting as coroner in the case, suspended all proceedings in May after two key witnesses refused to participate because the province wouldn't pay their legal fees.

A deal has since been reached with the witnesses, and the inquest is set to resume Oct. 26.

Lawyers for the relevant parties will meet with the coroner next week to work out procedural details.

The Villanueva family has also voiced its larger concerns about theinquest, saying nothing short of a full public inquiry would satisfy them.

Public inquiries are broader in scope and mandate than coroner's inquests.