| VANCOUVER — The Mountie who repeatedly Tasered Robert Dziekanski at the Vancouver International Airport two years ago has filed a libel lawsuit against the CBC. Const. Kwesi Millington claims that CBC's coverage of the incident since Nov. 4, 2007, has caused him to suffer "serious embarrassment and distress" and has caused him "public ridicule." Millington claims CBC's coverage has "seriously injured" his reputation, causing him to seek punitive and aggravated damages against the CBC.
The former Richmond Mountie deployed his Taser on the Polish immigrant five times — the last two in "push stun mode" — on Oct. 14, 2007.
Four officers arrived at the scene to investigate complaints of a possibly drunk man throwing around furniture. Seconds after arriving, the officers confronted Dziekanski, gave him conflicting commands, then Tasered him.
Dziekanski died shortly after he was restrained and handcuffed by the four officers, who testified at the Braidwood inquiry into the death that they feared for their safety after Dziekanski picked up a stapler from a nearby desk.
The four officers were reassigned after the incident — Millington was transferred to Toronto. The senior officer Cpl. Benjamin (Monty) Robinson had been reassigned to the 2010 Integrated Security Unit but was suspended with pay after motorcyclist Orion Hutchinson, 21, was fatally struck by a Jeep in Delta, B.C., last year. Police recommended that charges of impaired driving and impaired driving causing death be laid against Robinson but the matter still is being reviewed by the Crown.
Thomas Braidwood, the former judge who headed the Braidwood inquiry, is currently preparing his final report on the circumstances that led to Dziekanski's death.
Neal Hall, Vancouver Sun
nhall@vancouversun.com
Photo: RCMP constable Kwesi Millington at the Braidwood Inquiry, March 3, in Vancouver. Photo Credit: Steve Bosch, Vancouver Sun
Zofia Cisowska, Dziekanski's Mother. Photo Ian Smith |
Song about Dziekanski "He waits"
The Canadian Civil Rights Movement suggests that the suit being brought by Cst. Kwesi Millington, against the CBC, is a desperate and cynical ploy similar to the legal action and current appeal challenging the authority of the Braidwood Commission. It is not uncommon for an individual attempting to escape responsibility for his actions and discredit the source of the evidence against him.
A democratic society demands that its law enforcement agencies be transparent and accountable. An unfettered media is the key to a well informed public. The suit against the national public broadcaster and a major media source is an attempt to send a message and threaten other media outlets and broadcasters. It is intended to intimidate and silence the media which has been pursuing the truth and reporting it to Canadians.
The public and the media should view this action also as nothing more than a heavy-handed attempt at avoiding accountability and transparency of an RCMP culture and a waste of resources and taxpayers money, at diversionary tactics.
Zygmunt Riddle
www.civilrightsmovement.ca
Co dalej w sprawie Dziekańskiego?
"After several weeks, the RCMP decided to give Paul Pritchard back his video in which Robert Dziekanski is tasered 5 times by members the RCMP at Vancouver Airport and died. Paul Pritchard decided to make the video public on November 14, 2007 to allow people to draw their own conclusions about the event."
CTV News
Paul Pritchard 9 mins video
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