Wednesday, October 29, 2008

RCMP officer Benjamin Monty Robinson involved in Robert Dziekanski killing AND main suspect in drunk-driving-causing-death incident last Saturday

RCMP officer Benjamin Monty Robinson
RCMP officer Benjamin Monty Robinson, one of the four officers involved in the killing of Robert Dziekanski, has been caught drunk-driving and killing 21 year old Orion Hutchinson last Saturday.

One of the four RCMP officers involved in the Tasering of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski is facing charges of impaired driving causing death after a collision in Tsawwassen Saturday.

However, Delta police -- who are investigating the crash -- have refused to identify the officer until he makes his first court appearance on Jan. 15 and is formally charged.
Yes, the police is always eager to come up with names, except when it involves one of their colleges; Getting it Right did find the answer to who it was here:

An RCMP officer facing charges of impaired driving causing death in Delta is refusing to comment on the charges against him.

Reached by The Vancouver Sun on his cellphone Wednesday, Cpl. Benjamin Monty Robinson hung up as soon as a reporter identified himself.

Follow-up calls to Robinson went to voice mail and messages left for Robinson were not returned.

Robinson is due to appear in Surrey Provincial Court on Jan. 15 after he was allegedly involved in a collision Saturday night that left 21-year-old Orion Hutchinson dead.
To be honest with you, I think the idea of releasing the names of suspects is a bad practice to begin with. In the Netherlands all media is used to address suspects (but also convicted criminals) only by the first letter of their last name (that would be Benjamin R. in this case); and I am in favour of such a policy. But if the full name does need to be exposed on ideological grounds (and the Law and Order types in N-America are convinced it does) than at least be consistent about it.

Footnote: Investigations into the death of Robert Dziekanski have been delayed AGAIN. We still don't know who the other three suspected killers were. How's that justice and consistency working for you?

UPDATE:
-Read also the Macleans "blog"-post by Chris Selley:
"Suspended with pay"

UPDATE 2
-Facebook Group:
R.I.P Orion Hutchinson... STOP IMPAIRED DRIVING!!

UPDATE 3
- Benjamin Robinson was supervisor during taser killing of the Robert Dziekanski
This doesn't look good, folks. Why is this suspect of multiple killings still out on the streets? Why are out citizens not protected from these reckless killers? Does an RCMP batch give one a licence to taser someone to death? Does an RCMP barch give one a license to a hit-and-run while drunk? What's wrong with our RCMP?

LINKS
- Mounties in trouble, again
- Taser Mountie faces drunk-driving-causing-death charge
- Buckdog: Robert Dziekanski's Mother Threatens Legal Action Against RCMP

17 comments:

truth said...

Ben is an expert in impaired driving charges because that is what constables do. So we can expect Ben to get off. When he left the accident scene, he probably went to his relatives house where he consumed or claimed to have consumed a substanial amount of alcohol. So the breathalyzer reading at the station would not have determined the blood alchohol reading at the time of the accident. Also did the readings take place within 2 hours of the accident. If not they mean nothing. And why did he leave the scene? Of course he was concerned about his children.

Another source of evidence is the persons that he was with when he consumed the alcohol. Of course, these could be relatives and they are not likely to state what Ben's condition was when he got in the car.

At the end of the day Ben is going to get off any charges related to impaired driving. If he made a left turn, crossed the center line, or failed to yield the right of way, he may get three points on his licence.

Already, media is suggesting that Orion is to blame because he may have been speeding.

Erik said...

Ben is an expert in impaired driving charges because that is what constables do. So we can expect Ben to get off

Let's hope Ben is not a liar (as you suggest) and due course will take place here. That's the least he owes to the Hutchinson's family.

Dr.Dawg said...

I'm generally with you on naming, and I like the Netherlands practice. But I think when it comes to public figures, and people who should be accountable to the public (RCMP), names should be released. In any case, though, we can both agree that if naming is permitted, there is no way the RCMP should get an exemption (with complaisant media falling into line, which appears to be the case here until the Sun broke the officer's cover).

More at my place if you're interested.

Erik said...

But I think when it comes to public figures, and people who should be accountable to the public (RCMP), names should be released.

In Holland names from public figures ARE permitted, maybe because of a pragmatic POV that describing a criminal (such as Stephen H.) does not make much sense; everybody already knows who were talking about here, so there is no benefit of protecting a suspect.

I'm not convinced that ANYONE working for the public should be punished publically (by releasing their names) while being a suspect.

Anonymous said...

This "officer of the law" was a regular at the local bar I worked at........he's a drunk - no excuses. He killed my good friend, and in my eyes no punishment is good enough. He's basically on a paid vacation. He left my friend there to die on the side of the road....supposedly to take his kids home. If he didn't want his kids to be subjected to that, then he shouldn't have been driving drunk in the first place!! God be with you, sir, because hell hath no fury!

Erik said...

He left my friend there to die on the side of the road....supposedly to take his kids home.

I haven't heard some of these details, but if it true that he went home first (instead of helping this dying man) then this officer has lost much of the sympathy I had left for him; for whatever reason he left the scene, that's still a hit and run.

No "normal person" would get away with a hit and run, and neither should Mr. Robinson. Let's hope that for the officer's family that he doesn't commit suicide once he realizes what he has done.

Anonymous said...

"Nearby residents heard the crash and rushed to the scene, said a woman who lives nearby. She saw the Jeep driver exit the vehicle and hand his driver's licence to a bystander, she said.


"He fled long before any emergency vehicle even showed up. He didn't even go to see how the victim was," said the woman, who asked not to be named.


"He just handed his licence and took off with a child in each hand. Now he's driving impaired, two kids in his car," she said."

I feel for this officer's family, I really do. As for him, I could care less what happens to him......So he'll lose his job. Orion's family lost a son, a brother, a nephew.....and many people, like myself, lost a very good friend.

Erik said...

As for him, I could care less what happens to him......So he'll lose his job.

I think there's a lot more on the line than merely losing his job; how about this?:

If charges can be laid, the penalty for impaired driving causing death has recently been made a lot tougher in Canada. The maximum sentence is life in prison.

Interesting to see how these men, proved biased toward law-and-order ideology in the recent RCMP InSite scandal, now got caught in their own web; now wonder they are trying anything to get this officer out of his perilous situation.

But we should never accept the double standard of the RCMP. How do we make sure Mr. Robinson doesn't get away with this?

Anonymous said...

The RCMP are most likely going to recommend a plea bargain....I doubt he'll see much time. I have high hopes, but I also know the reality of the situation.

I , like everyone involved, have put my faith in the police to bring one of their own to justice. Until that times comes, we will all continue to follow the stories; see his face in the papers and on the news, and mourn the loss of a loved one.

Erik said...

Mr. Robinson was part of the killing of two people (Dziekanski and Hutchinson) over the last year and a bit.

Read my lips:
Mr. Robinson will get jail time, no doubt about it. It will take time before this happens (the RCMP will do their best to prevent jailing one of their own), but nobody is above the law in Canada.

Getting it Right will be on top of this story for the time to come, and will not give in to "realities" that only seem to favour those in charge.

The "real reality" is this:
Mr. took without doubt part in the killing of Robert Dziekanski and is the killer of Orion Hutchinson; we owe it to the families/friends of Dziekanski and Hutchinson that justice will be served.

There is an opportunity for the RCMP to get it right: the sooner they deal with this issue in an honourable way, the better it will reflect on them.

Unknown said...

Constable Benjaman Monty Robinson was supposed to appear in Surrey Court last week. Looks like it's been delayed. What a huge surprise. Here is the media release.

Fatal Collision – Police awaiting further information before
submitting report to Crown Counsel
Background:
On Saturday, October 25, 2008, at 1015 p.m., the Delta Police responded to a collision at Gilchrist and 6th
Ave., Tsawwassen. Orion Hutchinson 21 yrs of Tsawwassen was westbound on his motorcycle on 6th Ave
when he collided with a jeep driven by an off-duty member of the RCMP, at the intersection of 6th Ave
Gilchrist Drive. Mr. Hutchinson was thrown from his motorcycle and suffered fatal injuries and died at the
scene.
Update:
As a result of this collision, the Delta Police embarked on a criminal investigation and had released the
driver of the Jeep on a Promise to Appear for January 15, 2009.
The Delta Police have subsequently had to cancel the Promise to Appear given we have not yet received
all of the information and reports required to submit a thorough and comprehensive report to Crown
Counsel. The charges the Delta Police are recommending include, Impaired Driving Causing Death and
Impaired Driving (over .08)
The Delta Police anticipate forwarding a full and complete report to Crown Counsel in early March. At
which time Crown will determine charge approval.
In addition to conducting a professional and impartial investigation, our continued concern is for the
families involved in this tragedy and we extend our sincere sympathy to them.

Thomas said...

Monty Robinson is a liar, murderer and total scumbag. My only hope is that he gets what he so justly deserves, to suffer for the rest of his miserable life

Erik said...

Hi Thomas,

After seeing today's testimony at the Braidwood commission I'm concur with the "liar" and "total scumbag". But I don't think his intention was to kill Dziekanski. I could be wrong, who knows?

He sure is constantly changing his story, which suggests he continuously feels the need to lie to cover up his lies (intentional or not) of the past.

Personally I don't trust him one bit, because his wrongful statements sure look like lies to me.

Justine said...

Eric - why are you defending him in Dziekanskis death ????? Can you emagine coming to a foreighn country.... on a 10 hours flight, and then waiting for another ten in area where there's no acces to food or anything to drink... waiting to finally see his mom... getting so frustrated, that no one is trying to help him... and then those 4 officers showed up - walking to a scene like a heroes from stupid comix and without trying to communicate in some way with him, without trying to even understand what was that he needed and helping him... they killed him like he wasn't a human being !!! Why are you defending him ???? Do you want some more irresponsible RCMPs in your country ??? and you're saying that he did not intend to kill him... ?? Oh - so he put his knee on Dziekanskis neck becouse he was trying to save life of a person who was having a heart attack after being tased 5 times?? And he thought thad death was something unlikely to happen after all that ???If he did all that and thought that this would not couse death then he is complete idiot !!! Do you want RCMPs like that in your country ???

Justine said...

he killed the only son of a single mother... personally I think he deserves to die the same way.... and this time - after this accident he will not get away !!!

Erik said...

Hi Justine,

I don't think I have been defending him. I do think he has some responsability to Dziekanski's death but I don't think Robinson intentions were to kill him.

I certainly don't think he deserves to die (al
though I feel as bad for Dziekanski's mother as you do), but I think some jail time would do Robinson good.

Unknown said...

lets go back to the hanging tree....make it a public event.

complete and utter coward.
how does he look himself in the eye in the mirror or anyone else for that matter?

and to think he will have influence over children. if the wife had any sense, she would take the kids and run for the hills.

Murderer!

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