British Columbia

Supreme Court to hear RCMP appeals in Robert Dziekanski case

Canada's highest court will hear appeals for two RCMP officers involved in a notorious taser death in Vancouver.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal has previously upheld both convictions

Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa. (Albert Couillard/CBC)

The Supreme Court of Canada will hear appeals from two men convicted of perjury in connection with a notorious stun-gun encounter in Vancouver.

RCMP Const. Kwesi Millington was sentenced to 30 months in prison for testimony he gave to an inquiry examining the October 2007 death of Robert Dziekanski, who was jolted several times with a Taser at Vancouver's airport.

Millington and former RCMP corporal Benjamin (Monty) Robinson were found guilty of colluding to make up testimony.

RCMP Cpl. Benjamin Monty Robinson arrives at the Braidwood inquiry in Vancouver Monday, March 23, 2009. The inquiry looked into the death of Robert Dziekanski in 2007. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

Dziekanski was taken down by the Taser shortly after Millington, Robinson and two other officers arrived at the airport in response to reports of a distraught man.

Robinson was sentenced to two years less a day, one year of probation and 240 hours of community service.

RCMP Const. Kwesi Millington is seen on a television holding up the stapler Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski was holding the night he died, while testifying at the Braidwood inquiry. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

This is not what Dziekanski's mother Zofia Cisowski wanted to hear, according to her lawyer Walter Kosteckyj. 

"She's disappointed that the matter has gone to a further appeal...She believes that the verdict was appropriate and she thought it was ended but clearly it's not...My client would have liked to see an end to it all.

Zofia Cisowski with her son Robert Dziekanski in Poland before she immigrated to Canada.

It's been eight years since the Braidwood inquiry into Dziekanski's death ended and the matter went to court.

"Ultimately, the Supreme Court will render its judgement and this matter will finally be put to rest, " Kosteckyj said.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal upheld both convictions. As usual, the Supreme Court did not give reasons for deciding to hear the cases.

With files from Manjula Dufresne