Braidwood inquiry set to hear long-awaited RCMP testimony

February 23, 2009
By Suzanne Fournier, The Province

The Braidwood Inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski will hear the four RCMP officers who Tasered him testify under oath today.

A series of police and ambulance dispatch calls released at the inquiry last week confirm that the RCMP pulled the Taser, kneeled on Dziekanski to restrain him and apparently failed to notice as he slipped into cardiac arrest.

A lawyer for one of the RCMP officers at the death scene said the officers "will all be very pleased" to testify.

"No police officer ever wants an interaction with a member of the community to end like this one did," said David Butcher, who is representing Const. Bill Bentley.

Butcher predicted the RCMP officers were "prepared to be accountable" in what has been "a very traumatic matter."

Const. Gerry Rundel is slated to testify this morning at 10 a.m., and it's expected his testimony could take all day. He'll be followed by Bentley, Const. Kwesi Millington and Cpl. Benjamin Monty Robinson.