Perjury trial sees notorious video of Dziekanski’s fatal Taser confrontation

VANCOUVER – The trial of a Mountie accused of lying to the public inquiry into Robert Dziekanski’s death has watched the notorious video that shows the Polish man stunned repeatedly by an RCMP Taser.

Const. Bill Bentley is accused of lying six times to the public inquiry in 2009, and his trial has now started after a week of pre-trial motions.

The amateur video of a confrontation was played at the trial that shows four RCMP officers arrive at Vancouver’s airport, and, within seconds, stun Dziekanski with a Taser.

Bentley wrote in his notes and told homicide investigators that Dziekanski screamed and came at the officers before the Taser was used and that two officers physically brought Dziekanski to the ground.

But the video contradicted Bentley’s claims, and he is now accused of lying when he attempted to explain those discrepancies at the inquiry.

During the inquiry, Bentley said the note about Dziekanski screaming was accurate because Dziekanski did start screaming once he was stunned, and he claimed he didn’t know why he told investigators that two officers brought Dziekanski down.