Benjamin Robinson, RCMP officer involved in fatal collision, guilty of obstruction of

[Goober]

Benjamin Robinson, RCMP officer involved in fatal collision, guilty of obstruction of justice | News | National Post

VANCOUVER — RCMP Cpl. Benjamin “Monty” Robinson intended to obstruct a police investigation when he drank two shots of vodka after a fatal crash, a judge ruled Friday.
Robinson, 41, was charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the incident that killed 21-year-old Orion Hutchinson. Justice Janice Dillon delivered her decision in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster, B.C. on Friday.

Around 10 p.m. on Oct. 25, 2008, Robinson and two of his children left a Halloween party about five minutes from their Delta home. Robinson testified at trial that he had consumed five beers over the course of four hours, but felt fine to drive.

At an intersection, Robinson turned left and collided with Hutchinson, who was thrown from his motorcycle and died at the scene.

After the crash, Robinson gave his driver’s licence to a bystander and walked his children home. There, he drank two shots of vodka before returning to the scene and telling an officer about the drinks.

Crown prosecutor Kris Pechet argued that the admission constitutes obstruction because of Robinson’s experience and background. Robinson, a 12-year RCMP veteran at the time of the crash, had taken more than 40 courses, including training in blood-alcohol testing.

Defence lawyer David Crossin argued that Robinson was not thinking of the consequences when he drank the vodka. An addiction expert testified at trial that in October 2008 Robinson was alcohol-dependant and his actions after the crash were typical of someone with such a disease.

Robinson is one of four officers awaiting trial on a perjury charge in connection with an October 2007 Tasering incident at Vancouver’s airport during which Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski died.

 

[earth_as_one]

Too bad about the 21 year motorcycle driver, Orion Hutchinson:

“He had this amazing vocabulary from an early age,” Orion's father recalled. “At three he could say words that some adults didn't know. He was bright beyond his age. He didn't talk like an ordinary kid. He was gifted in his intellect.”
He liked to observe and study. When his curiosity focused on something, Orion would dedicate himself to learning everything there was about it. Like dinosaurs. The structure of leaves. Those are the sorts of things he needed to find out everything about. And he would.
He was also someone with strong convictions who stood up for what was right, his dad recalled. It was that ethic that prompted Orion and a friend to go outside a Tsawwassen home earlier this year to confront a group of young teenagers who were smashing a television set with a hammer.
Instead of taking off, however, the 14-year-olds turned on Orion and his buddy, severely injuring both of them. Orion ended up in the hospital with serious head injuries. He was in a coma for nearly two weeks.
“That was just the kind of kid he was,” said Glenn Hutchinson. “He had to make things right. That was his nature. He was a different type of kid that way.”
Orion had also known heartache.
About a year and a half ago, his father confirmed, Orion's girlfriend was visiting relatives in England when she died of a strange stomach virus. Orion was devastated and had only recently begun recovering emotionally from the ordeal.
“That was very hard on him,” Glenn said. “Very hard.”
Death hurts a small town like nowhere else - The Globe and Mail

 

[Goober]

Too bad about the 21 year motorcycle driver, Orion Hutchinson:

“He had this amazing vocabulary from an early age,” Orion's father recalled. “At three he could say words that some adults didn't know. He was bright beyond his age. He didn't talk like an ordinary kid. He was gifted in his intellect.”
He liked to observe and study. When his curiosity focused on something, Orion would dedicate himself to learning everything there was about it. Like dinosaurs. The structure of leaves. Those are the sorts of things he needed to find out everything about. And he would.
He was also someone with strong convictions who stood up for what was right, his dad recalled. It was that ethic that prompted Orion and a friend to go outside a Tsawwassen home earlier this year to confront a group of young teenagers who were smashing a television set with a hammer.
Instead of taking off, however, the 14-year-olds turned on Orion and his buddy, severely injuring both of them. Orion ended up in the hospital with serious head injuries. He was in a coma for nearly two weeks.
“That was just the kind of kid he was,” said Glenn Hutchinson. “He had to make things right. That was his nature. He was a different type of kid that way.”
Orion had also known heartache.
About a year and a half ago, his father confirmed, Orion's girlfriend was visiting relatives in England when she died of a strange stomach virus. Orion was devastated and had only recently begun recovering emotionally from the ordeal.
“That was very hard on him,” Glenn said. “Very hard.”
Death hurts a small town like nowhere else - The Globe and Mail

The RCMP are now permitted to form a union to represent there members - A course of action i completely agree with. As to discipline the RCMP is sevelry lacking in the tools available to them.

 

[wizard]

... the crown attorney who prosecuted a hit-and-run car accident causing death as an obstructing justice charge is the one guilty of obstructing justice ...

 

[SLM]

Robinson is one of four officers awaiting trial on a perjury charge in connection with an October 2007 Tasering incident at Vancouver’s airport during which Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski died.

So an individual of questionable moral character to begin with then?

... the crown attorney who prosecuted a hit-and-run car accident causing death as an obstructing justice charge is the one guilty of obstructing justice ...

Oh my oh my. RCMP Officer vs Crown Attorney. How do you pick a side there?

 

[grumpydigger]

Monty Robinson is just the tip of the iceberg the RCMP have with their officers.

Here in British Columbia we have found out just in the last few months two high-ranking RCMP officers have been caught stealing cocaine and a large amount of money from evidence lockers......

These misfits seem to make the news every week because of misconduct.

Never trust or respect anyone, who will look you straight in the eye and lie..........and then believe they're above the law

 

[Kakato]

I'll predict he gets 2 years less a day,cops can get away with anything in Canada,even murder.I worked with Darren Varley when Const. Ferguson shot him twice in self defense,once in the abdomen and once in the head.I wont post details,a google search will show what happened if anyones interested.

 

[Ron in Regina]

I'll predict he gets 2 years less a day,cops can get away with anything in Canada,even murder.

I predict zero jail-time (sentence served in the community) & a fine, &
a drivers licence suspension of no more than a year....for the traffic
accident. For the other....I'm not even going to try & guess at that one.

 

[JLM]

... the crown attorney who prosecuted a hit-and-run car accident causing death as an obstructing justice charge is the one guilty of obstructing justice ...

How the hell would you come to THAT conclusion? The A$$hole admitted to leaving the scene to go home to drink booze. Meanwhile a man was dying. :roll:

I predict zero jail-time (sentence served in the community) & a fine, &
a drivers licence suspension of no more than a year....for the traffic
accident. For the other....I'm not even going to try & guess at that one.

Normally I'd agree with you, but since the farce of a sentence handed to Graham James (heard today he'll be released before the end of the year) public pressure is building. I don't see one redeeming factor a judge could grasp onto. There may even be pressure from within the force to make an example of this turkey.

 

[Kakato]

It's been well publicized that this guy bragged to folks at partys on how to beat an impaired,leave and have a couple shots.It's very good advice,you will never lose in court if you did that.

 

[damngrumpy]

Grumpydigger is right I remember both stories, the cops are the ones out of control here.
There must be some form of justice and it looks doubtful. If a cop does something like
this firing should be automatic at the instant of the guilty finding. We have paid this guy
for nearly four years and we will go on doing so, its time to put an end to it by putting him
in jail.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Normally I'd agree with you, but since the farce of a sentence handed to Graham James (heard today he'll be released before the end of the year) public pressure is building. I don't see one redeeming factor a judge could grasp onto. There may even be pressure from within the force to make an example of this turkey.

Judges (in Canada) are not elected, so they have no pressure to
make an example out of anyone. If they do, it becomes grounds
for an appeal where a Defence Lawyer can agrue that other
instances with similiar circumstances received lesser sentances,
& the arsehole might end up with an even lesser sentance than I
predicted upon appeal 'cuz the system was 'unfair' & prejudicial
towards him.

 

[JLM]

Judges (in Canada) are not elected, so they have no pressure to
make an example out of anyone. If they do, it becomes grounds
for an appeal where a Defence Lawyer can agrue that other
instances with similiar circumstances received lesser sentances,
& the arsehole might end up with an even lesser sentance than I
predicted upon appeal 'cuz the system was 'unfair' & prejudicial
towards him.

For once I hope your usual good wisdom fails! :lol:

 

[damngrumpy]

I never want to see judges elected in this country. Judges in America are subjected to the twisted
visions of pressure groups and that does not serve justice it serves the interest of some very strange
people at times. Justice must be thought out in spite of the nonsense that goes on all around the case
in question. Remember the judges decision is based on the evidence presented by the opposing
lawyers, perhaps we need better lawyers who do their job so the judges can make decisions based on
factual complete evidence.