Judge rules in favour of inquiry into Bennis death

A Quebec Superior Court judge has ruled in favour of conducting an inquiry into the 2005 death of Mohamed Anas Bennis.

A police investigation found that police officer Yannick Bernier shot Bennis after the 25-year-old allegedly tried to attack him with a knife in Cote-des-Neiges in December 2005.

The decision, made by Justice Claude Champage on Sept. 2, comes more than two years after the Montreal Police Brotherhood filed a motion to quash the coroner's inquiry.

Bennis's family members and supporters said they are pleased with the decision.

"It's welcome news, that's for sure -- but it's also quite overdue," said Samir Shaheen-Hussain of the Justice for Anas Coalition.

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  Mohamed Anas Bennis was 25 when he was shot and killed by a Montreal police officer in Cote des Neiges in 2005.