RCMP officer who fired Taser at Robert Dziekanski sues CBC for libel
Published Tuesday November 3rd, 2009
VANCOUVER, B.C. - The RCMP officer who fired his Taser at Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver's airport the night the Polish immigrant died has filed a libel lawsuit against the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
In a writ of summons filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Const. Kwesi Millington asks for damages from the CBC and claims the network's publications and broadcasts have defamed him.
Millington was one of four officers who confronted Dziekanski at the airport in October 2007, and he fired his Taser within seconds of arriving on the scene.
The incident gained worldwide attention after amateur video of the altercation was released, which appeared to contradict official accounts from the RCMP.
In the writ, which doesn't specify what the CBC published or broadcast that was defamatory, Millington says his reputation has been seriously injured, he has suffered embarrassment and distress, and has been brought into public ridicule.
The writ contains allegations that haven't been proven in court and the CBC could not immediately be reached for comment.
A public inquiry examining Dziekanski's death wrapped up last month.
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Comments (11)
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The police aren't entirely blameless, reacted to a situation; or more aptly, over reacted.
But, in modern journelistic practices, the media, CBC included, really didn't dig very hard.
Anyone whose ever traveled has stories about airline staff who could care less, security guards who think they're cops, beurocrats more concerned about their bonuses then the passengers their organizations are supposed to serve.
Everyone involved in this insodant has to shoulder some of the blame. No one is truly innosant, including the victom.
People who serve the public really have to start doing their job; serve. That means that no matter how cranky your last customer was, your next customer deserves your utmost attention. Here's a case of a man in trouble and no one working at Vancouver's air port could care less. If someone would have just given this guy a helping hand none of this would have happened.
The police used excessive force here. If this had been a group of private citizens, the law would have weighed down on them. This doesn't happen every day, but they need to own up and take responsibility , not sue the CBC
If he suffered embarrassment and distress, and has been brought into public ridicule, too bad. He deserves it. He brought it on himself. At least he is still alive - he should be at least grateful for that.
These lawsuits are getting to be ridiculous. And who ends up really paying for them.
Grow up you whiney little wimp - or go tell your mommy & get her to make it all better.