Mountie Monty Robinson
left crash scene then drank alcohol
as Orion Hutchinson lay dying
Robinson most senior of four Mounties
involved in Tasering death of Polish immigrant
Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport in 2007
Katie Mercer, Vancouver Province, Dec. 2, 2009
A frame grab of RCMP officer Monty Robinson in Feb. 5, 2005,
where he was identified as a member of the Merritt RCMP,
advising motorists to slow down because of snow on the Coquihalla.
Photo: Global TV framegrab
As Orion Hutchinson lay dying, Monty Robinson raced home and had two stiff drinks, but that’s not enough to penalize him with a stronger charge.
Simon Fraser University criminologist David MacAlister raised questions Wednesday as to why Cpl. Benjamin “Monty” Robinson was not charged under Sec. 252 of the criminal code — failure to stop at the scene of an accident causing death.
The offence carries a maximum penalty of life in prison — the same as impaired driving causing death.
“It sounded like this charge seems to most closely fit the facts of the case,” MacAlister said.
“He did stop and give his driver’s license but the section also requires you to provide assistance and based on what I’ve heard, there isn’t any indication he did that.”
Delta police recommended charges of impaired driving causing death be laid against Cpl. Benjamin “Monty” Robinson for the death of Orion Hutchinson, 21.
However, the attorney-general’s office charged the Mountie Tuesday with the lesser charge of obstruction of justice for his alleged actions after the collision, citing lack of evidence.
The obstruction charge, which carries no minimum sentence, has a maximum of 10 years.
Neil MacKenzie, Criminal Justice Branch spokesman, said there was not enough evidence to support impaired-driving charges nor failure to stop at the scene of an accident.
“That was among the charges that the branch considered . . . it did not meet our charge assessment standard,” Mackenzie said, declining to elaborate further.
Under Sec. 252 of the criminal code, a failure to stop includes an accident where the driver fails to stop to escape civil or criminal liability, or provide his name and address, as well as where a person has been injured and appears to require assistance and none is offered.
While the Crown is not commenting on the case as it is before the courts, MacAlister pondered whether the obstruction of justice charge stems from Robinson’s knowledge of the law.
“By virtue of the fact that he knew the law and he knew what the police had to do to put a case together, for him to make the decision to go home have a couple drinks, he may have known that could interfere with their ability to get a breathalyzer test,” MacAlister said.
“I think it’s that conduct he engaged in after the accident that constituted the obstruction.
“It’s a very serious incident and it calls into question his integrity and how honesty and forthright he is.”
On Oct. 25, 2008, Robinson’s Jeep crashed into Hutchinson’s motorcycle at a Tsawwassen intersection. Robinson, who was off-duty at the time, identified himself to witnesses, then left the scene with his two kids, without checking on the dying Hutchinson.
In March, in a bid to have his driving ban overturned, Robinson told a B.C. Supreme Court that he had two shots of vodka at home before returning to the scene of the accident, where he then failed a breathalyzer test.
The court rejected his version of events.
Robinson is the most senior of four Mounties involved in the Tasering death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport in 2007. The Crown has decided not to lay any charges.
Robinson is scheduled to appear in Surrey Provincial Court on Dec. 8.
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More news about RCMP Corporal
Benjamin Monty Montgomery Robinson’s
deadly career
Robinson remains on paid leave
while a decision on Orion Hutchinson’s death
keeps dragging on. More...
And on... More...
The charge is merely obstructing justice. Sounds like
Robinson is getting a really sweet deal. More...
The manner in which the criminal justice system
handles fatality cases involving police officers
is driven by anything but the principle
that we are all equal in the eyes of the law. More...
Robinson proves himself to be
one cunning, callous cop. More here and here.
What constitutes gross misconduct for the RCMP? More...
Incredible! The RCMP complaint commissioner
concedes what everybody else knows
about Benjamin Monty Montgomery Robinson
and the Dziekanski death squad. More...
Two and a half years after Orion Hutchinson’s death
Robinson finally faces a watered-down charge. More...
And three and a half years after Robert Dziekanski’s death,
another watered-down charge. More...
Robinson has been off work with full pay since October 2007.
So far that’s a four-year, four-month paid vacation while he faces
two criminal charges resulting from two deaths. More...
Robinson finally gets convicted of something,
even if it’s a watered-down charge. He continues to draw
full pay, full benefits and yearly raises while doing absolutely nothing.
He might even stretch that out until retirement. More...
By continuing to pay Robinson, the RCMP flouts public outrage.
They should just fire the bastard. And now. More...
As for the other three members of the Dziekanski death squad,
they’ll never even be suspended. They’re not fit to carry weapons,
conduct investigations, testify in court or even deal with the public.
But they have safe jobs and guaranteed pensions thanks to the RCMP.
Monty Robinson just got a pay raise.
RCMP salary increases apply to all Mounties, even the
convicted criminals who spend years on paid vacation. More...
Robinson actually resigned. Has the two-time killer,
convicted criminal, disgraced police officer and tax-funded parasite
suddenly discovered principles? Or is he striving to stay out of prison?
Nevertheless, RCMP brass gave this sack of shit glowing references.
More...
Justice for Orion Hutchinson? Not even close.
“Be home by 9 now, Monty!” More...
“The various legal woes of Monty Robinson exposed
nearly everything that’s wrong with our ‘justice system.’” More…
Who’s the special prosecutor in this case? Richard Peck,
the cops’ unethical but well-paid go-to guy. More here and here.
Another criminal conviction for RCMP disgrace Benjamin Montgomery Monty Robinson,
this time for perjury. He’s always gotten away with radically reduced charges
for the deaths he’s caused. This time, like the last time, the full-pension criminal will likely
get an exceptionally lenient sentence, once again demonstrating that Canadian police
are held to much, much lower standards than normal people. More…
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