PUBLISHER'S NOTE: In view of the $4.25 million compensation William Mullins-Johnson that was announced on October 21, 2010 by the Ontario government , I am re-running some early posts relating to the case. The following post - published on October 10, 2007, ran under the heading, "Dilemma of the innocent."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The dilemma of innocent people behind their bars who continue to protest their innocence instead of expressing contrition to the Parole Board and participating in behavioral control programs run by the penitentiary is powerfully demonstrated by William-Mullins-Johnson's lawyers in their factum filed for the October 15 Reference.
"The Appellant, who maintained his innocence from the moment of his arrest on June 27, 1993, served the bulk of his life sentence at Warkworth Penitentiary in Ontario," the factum reads.
"He continued to maintain his innocence throughout more than 12 years of imprisonment. His penitentiary records include the following entries:
The subject adamantly denies being guilty of the present offence and as such demonstrates no remorse. (Criminal Profile Report, December 1, 1994, prepared by his Case Management Officer)
Recommended Intervention.
William has been placed on the WSBC waiting list since 1995/08/02. This placement is considered to be a high priority given the sexual connotations [of his crime]. The offender is protesting his innocence and is reluctant to participate in programs dealing with sexual deviancy. Completion of such an assessment is required in order to identity future risk levels especially against children. (Correctional Plan Progress Report, September 28, 1999, prepared by his parole officer)
Mullins-Johnson has had a difficult adjustment to his life sentence. He has maintained a stance of innocence in relation to the offence and has appealed both sentence and conviction without success. He is heavily involved in the Native culture at Warkworth and has been the Chair of the Native Brotherhood. He has a depressive nature and suffers from serious mood swings as a result. (Correctional Plan Progress Report, May 22, 2002, prepared by his parole officer). "
Innocent persons like Mullins-Johnson invite hardship, extended incarceration and mental turmoil by continuing to protest their innocence.
The Mullins-Johnson case should be required study by all members of the Ontario and National parole boards.
Harold Levy;
