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

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary communications technician who gaveConst. Joe Smythinformation aboutDon Dunphy the day of afatal shootingdefended himself Thursday at a judicial inquiry into Dunphy's death.

"[Smyth] was looking for two bits of informationand 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."

• Joe Smyth says communications breakdown left him without 2nd officer on Dunphy visit

• Dunphy stopped and released by police without incident years before fatal shooting, RCMP officer recounts

• Don Dunphy inquiry: Read CBC's online coverage

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

He asked Oramfor background information on Dunphy. Hereceived his driver's licence and registrationand learned that Dunphy didn't have a registered firearm.

But Smythtold a public inquiry into the shooting he wasn't aware of the RCMPfile flagging previous issues.

Whosefault?

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

Oramsaid Thursday thatSmythdidn't ask forDunphy'scriminalrecord 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 askabout 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 RCMPinvestigation of the shooting determined no charges were warranted against Smyth.

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

Follow the testimony in our live blog.