Former Mountie involved in deadly Taser incident suing government
Kwesi Millington, one of the former Mounties who Tasered Robert Dziekanski at the Vancouver airport more than a decade ago, has launched a civil lawsuit alleging the RCMP failed to provide training to employees.
In documents filed in B.C. Supreme Court this week, Millington says the Attorney-General of Canada and the government of B.C. were negligent in providing adequate training, including training RCMP members to properly use a Taser.
The suit claims the negligence resulted in mental and physical harm, including post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, depression and anxiety.
Millington is also alleging defamation, claiming the RCMP made negative comments about the four officers despite internal communication that his conduct “was consistent with the training he received from the RCMP,” according to the documents.
He is seeking damages for loss of past and future income and pension benefits.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Millington and former Mountie Benjamin (Monty) Robinson were found guilty in 2015 of lying at the inquiry into the Tasering and death of Dziekanski.
Millington was sentenced to a 30-month jail term after being found guilty of perjury for knowingly making false statements under oath at the Braidwood inquiry.
Dziekanski, 40, had arrived at the airport from Poland on Oct. 14, 2007. Millington was one of four Mounties, including then-Cpl. Robinson, Const. Bill Bentley and Const. Gerry Rundel, who were dispatched to the airport when police received reports of a disturbance involving Dziekanski.
Millington Tasered Dziekanski five times and the Polish man died shortly thereafter.