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Supreme Court of Canada orders new trial for Randy Riley in unanimous decision

November 3, 2020 By El Jones Leave a Comment

In an unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of Canada vacated the second degree murder conviction for Randy Riley and ordered a new trial. Randy Riley was convicted in March of 2019 for the murder of Chad Smith. The appeal focused on the warning given to the jury about the witnesses in the case. Known as […]

Filed Under: Featured, News Tagged With: anti-Black racism, Lee Seshagiri, Nathan Johnson, racism in justice system, Randy Riley, retrial, Roger Burrill, Sean MacDonald, Vetrovec warning

Justice Minister Mark Furey: an apology to Glen Assoun is “premature”

July 26, 2019 By Jennifer Henderson Leave a Comment

It’s two weeks today since a Nova Scotia court unsealed documents that help explain why Glen Assoun spent 17 years behind bars for a murder he did not commit. The documents pertain to both the Halifax Regional Police’s initial Halifax police investigation into the 1995 murder of Brenda Way, and to a later RCMP re-investigation […]

Filed Under: Featured, News, Province House Tagged With: Dave Moore, Glen Assoun, Justice Minister Mark Furey, miscarriage of justice, NDP leader Gary Burrill, Nova Scotia Police Review Board, PC leader Tim Houston, Retired Chief Justice Joe Kennedy, Sean MacDonald, Violent Crime Linkage Analysis System (ViCLAS)

The Assoun wrongful conviction: the McNeil connection

Morning File, Monday, July 8, 2019

July 8, 2019 By Tim Bousquet 2 Comments

News 1. Northern Pulp Mill’s missing environmental data “If Premier Stephen McNeil is wavering on the Northern Pulp / Paper Excellence file, entertaining notions on amending the Boat Harbour Act so that effluent from the Pictou County pulp mill can continue to flow into the lagoon after January 31, 2020, he would do well to […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: acting Chief of Police Robin McNeil, Anthony McNeil, Centre Plan, Chris Blanchard, Chris Cline, climate change, deputy police chief Chris McNeil, Don Blankenship, Donkin coal mine, Donkin Mine safety violations, Fred Fitzsimmons, Glen Assoun documents, Innocence Canada, Irving Shipyard, Jerome Kennedy, Justice James Chipman, Mainland Moose, Matthew Moore, Phil Campbell, police malfeasance, Premier Stephen McNeil, Ryan MacDonald, Sean MacDonald, Trevor O'Neil, Victoria Road development, Wellington Street development

The Halifax police department has a crisis of legitimacy 

Morning File, Monday, June 17, 2019

June 17, 2019 By Tim Bousquet 1 Comment

News 1. The Halifax police department has a crisis of legitimacy Is there an unusually large number of Halifax cops who are crooks? I suspect there is an institutional culture that looks the other way and avoids confronting official misconduct, and that institutional culture therefore actually encourages even more misconduct. But of course it’s a […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Chris Mosher, Constable Chris Friis, Criminal Conviction Review Group, Detective Constable Justin Sheppard, Fred Fitzsimmons, Gary Basso, George Farmer, Glen Assoun, Halifax Police, James Lockyer, Jane Downey, Jerome Kennedy, Justice James Chipman, Phillip Campbell, police malfeasance, Sean MacDonald, Stephen Angle, Sylvia Parris, Tina Cameron, trichomoniasis

Documenting police “malfeasance” in Glen Assoun’s wrongful conviction

Morning File, Tuesday, June 11, 2019

June 11, 2019 By Tim Bousquet 2 Comments

Yesterday, Glen Assoun’s lawyer Phil Campbell filed a brief with the Supreme Court in response to a media application to unseal court documents related to his wrongful conviction. The media coalition consists of the Halifax Examiner, the CBC, and the Canadian Press. Campbell’s brief wants a partial publication ban to be placed on three people […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Constable Chris Friis, Criminal Conviction Review Group, Detective Constable Justin Sheppard, Fred Fitzsimmons, Glen Assoun, Halifax Police, James Lockyer, Jane Downey, Jerome Kennedy, Justice James Chipman, Phillip Campbell, police investigator Dave MacDonald, police malfeasance, Sean MacDonald, Stephen Angle, Tina Cameron

“A tale of enormous suffering”

After 16 and a half years in prison and four and a half years under strict parole conditions, Glen Assoun is finally exonerated for a crime he did not commit, the tragic murder of Brenda Way. In fact, Halifax police had evidence that would have freed Assoun long ago — evidence that points to Way's actual killer — and in an act of "police misconduct" did not turn that evidence over to Assoun.

March 2, 2019 By Tim Bousquet 6 Comments

Takeaways from this story: • after spending 16 and a half years in prison and four and a half years on strict parole conditions, Glen Assoun is exonerated of the 1995 murder of Brenda Way; • Assoun’s lawyers say Halifax police failed to turn evidence over to Assoun that would have cleared him of the […]

Filed Under: Featured, News Tagged With: Attorney General David Lametti, Brenda Way, Crown Prosecutor Marian Fortune-Stone, Crown Prosecutor Mark Scott, Glen Assoun exonerated, Innocence Canada, James Lockyer, Jody Wilson-Raybould, Justice James Chipman, Phil Campbell, police investigator David MacDonald, Sean MacDonald

Evidently, it’s elementary, they want us all gone eventually

April 28, 2018 By El Jones 6 Comments

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. People keep telling me I look exhausted, and I thought, after the trial, I’ll take some time off. Nas’ song “If I Ruled the World” was repeating in my head. “We’ll walk right up to the sun, hand in hand.” Things seemed to be going well, for once. […]

Filed Under: Commentary, Featured Tagged With: El Jones, justice for Black people, Randy's conviction, Sean MacDonald, Trevor McGuigan

DEAD WRONG

A BOTCHED POLICE INVESTIGATION AND A PROBABLE WRONGFUL CONVICTION SHED LIGHT ON THE MURDERS OF DOZENS OF WOMEN IN NOVA SCOTIA.

February 6, 2016 By Tim Bousquet 9 Comments

Editor’s note: the DEAD WRONG homepage has links to previous articles, the cast of characters, extras, and commentary. Part 3: If Glen Assoun Didn’t Kill Brenda Way, Who Did? This article contains graphic accounts of violence and sexual violence that will disturb some readers. Three months after the jury convicted Glen Assoun of the murder of Brenda Way, […]

Filed Under: Featured, News Tagged With: Ashley Herridge, Avery Greenough, Brenda Way, Carl Joseph Francis, Dave MacDonald, DEAD WRONG, Fred Fizsimmons, Glen Assoun, James Lockyer, Jerome Kennedy, Michael McGray, Mowen McGuire, Robert George Poole, Sean MacDonald, Stephen Angle, Suzanne Hood

The Tideline, with Tara Thorne

Phyllis Rising — Rebecca Falvey (left) and Meg Hubley. Photo submitted

Episode #19 of The Tideline, with Tara Thorne is published.

Meg Hubley and Rebecca Falvey met as theatre kids at Neptune and have been friends ever since. As Phyllis Rising — that’s right, Mary Tyler Moore hive — they’re making films, plays, and are in production on The Crevice, a three-part sitcom streaming live from the Bus Stop in March. They stop by to talk with Tara about its development, their shared love of classic SNL and 90s sitcoms, and the power of close friendship. Plus: A new song from a new band.

This episode is available today only for premium subscribers; to become a premium subscriber, click here, and join the select group of arts and entertainment supporters for just $5/month. Everyone else will have to wait until tomorrow to listen to it.

Please subscribe to The Tideline.

Uncover: Dead Wrong

In 1995, Brenda Way was brutally murdered behind a Dartmouth apartment building. In 1999, Glen Assoun was found guilty of the murder. He served 17 years in prison, but steadfastly maintained his innocence. In 2019, Glen Assoun was fully exonerated.

Halifax Examiner founder and investigative journalist Tim Bousquet has followed the story of Glen Assoun's wrongful conviction for over five years. Now, Bousquet tells that story as host of Season 7 of the CBC podcast series Uncover: Dead Wrong.

Click here to go to listen to the podcast, or search for CBC Uncover on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast aggregator.

About the Halifax Examiner

Examiner folk The Halifax Examiner was founded by investigative reporter Tim Bousquet, and now includes a growing collection of writers, contributors, and staff. Left to right: Joan Baxter, Stephen Kimber, Linda Pannozzo, Erica Butler, Jennifer Henderson, Iris the Amazing, Tim Bousquet, Evelyn C. White, El Jones, Philip Moscovitch More about the Examiner.

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Recent posts

  • Sacrificing wild Atlantic salmon for gold March 4, 2021
  • Housing co-op plans affordable 57-unit North End Halifax development with federal, provincial cash March 4, 2021
  • Nova Scotia finally reaches a financial settlement with Glen Assoun, compensating him for the 17 years he was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit March 4, 2021
  • Halifax council committee seeks staff report on new recycling program for markers March 4, 2021
  • Every Nova Scotian who wants to get vaccinated will receive the first dose by the end of June, says Rankin March 4, 2021

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