RCMP Officer Files Lawsuit Against CBC over Dziekanski/Taser Coverage

[link to www.cbc.ca]

The RCMP officer who fired a 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 a stun gun at the man within seconds of arriving on the scene.

The incident gained worldwide attention after the release of amateur video of the altercation, 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 no statement of defence has been submitted.

The CBC's head of media relations Jeff Keay said, "We won't be making any comment on the lawsuit at this time."

A public inquiry examining Dziekanski's death wrapped up in B.C. last month.