'Gave him what he asked for': RNC technician says Joe Smyth wanted '2 bits' of info

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary communications technician who gave Const. Joe Smyth information about Don Dunphy the day of a fatal shooting defended himself Thursday at a judicial inquiry into Dunphy's death.

"[Smyth] was looking for two bits of information and I gave him what he was looking for," said Mark Oram.

Smyth shot and killed Dunphy, 58, on April 5, 2015. He was at Dunphy's Mitchells Brook home that Easter Sunday in his role as a member of the then-premier's security detail.

In January, Smyth told the inquiry he would not have gone alone to Dunphy's home if he had a crucial piece of information: an RCMP file that included criminal records had flagged Dunphy for "violence, drugs."

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• Don Dunphy inquiry: Read CBC's online coverage

Smyth called the RNC communications centre while he was driving to Dunphy's home.

He asked Oram for background information on Dunphy. He received his driver's licence and registration and learned that Dunphy didn't have a registered firearm.

But Smyth told a public inquiry into the shooting he wasn't aware of the RCMP file flagging previous issues.

Whose fault?

Dunphy, an injured worker, had a 2001 conviction for possession and production of marijuana, a conviction registered before he obtained a licence for medical marijuana. Other charges, of uttering threats, were dropped.

Oram said Thursday that Smyth didn't ask for Dunphy's criminal record and therefore, it wasn't given to him.

A RNC lawyer argued that Oram should have known to give the information. Oram replied that Smyth should have known to ask for it.

Hours later, Smyth met with Dunphy at his home in Mitchells Brook. He testified at the inquiry that he went there to ask about tweets Dunphy posted about provincial politicians but the meeting took a deadly turn.

Smyth said he shot four times after Dunphy pointed a rifle at him. An RCMP investigation of the shooting determined no charges were warranted against Smyth.

• Const. Joe Smyth used 'appropriate force' to defend himself, investigators say

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