Disgraced RCMP Cpl. Monty Robinson, the senior officer involved in the 2007 Tasering death of Robert Dziekanski, has resigned from the force.
Deputy Commissioner Craig Callens, B.C.’s top Mountie, issued a statement Friday morning announcing that Robinson had submitted discharge papers, and they had been approved and signed.
“While I have been clear that I was seeking his involuntary dismissal, the opportunity to discharge him from the organization this morning was one which eliminated further delays, costs and uncertainty,” Callens said.
“Mr. Robinson’s career with the RCMP has ended.”
A spokeswoman for the force said she was unsure whether Robinson would be receiving a pension, but promised to look into the matter.
As a private citizen, the former Mountie is no longer subject to any disciplinary action under the RCMP Act, though he still faces a perjury charge for his testimony in the public inquiry into Dziekanski’s fatal confrontation with police at the Vancouver International Airport.
He’s also currently awaiting his sentence for obstructing justice in the Oct. 25, 2008 crash that killed 24-year-old motorcyclist Orion Hutchinson.
At a hearing in New Westminster Supreme Court Friday, the Crown argued Robinson should spend three to nine months in jail or up to 18 months under house arrest, while the former officer’s lawyer said a condition sentence of six months or less would be more appropriate.
When the possibility of house arrest was raised in court, two people lept from their seats and yelled that it was “outrageous” before leaving the courtroom.
Hutchinson’s stepsister Casey Schell said she was happy to hear the embattled officer was no longer on the RCMP payroll, but said he’s still never shown remorse to her family.
“It broke apart my family and the people I love,” Schell said. “His silence so far has just been cowardly to me.”
Obstruction of justice convictions can carry a jail term of up to 10 years.
Robinson was found guilty in March of thwarting the Delta police officers who tried to determine whether he was drunk when he struck and killed Hutchinson with his Jeep after attending a Halloween party.
The judge ruled that Robinson had deliberately tried to muddy any investigation into whether he was impaired by leaving his driver’s license at the crash scene, taking his kids home and downing two glasses of vodka before returning.
His sentencing was pushed back to July 27, and he’s scheduled to make his next appearance on his perjury charge in April 2013.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Jon Woodward
