PUBLISHER'S NOTE: "PUBLISHER'S NOTE: This Blog is interested in false confessions because of the disturbing number of exonerations in the USA, Canada and multiple other jurisdictions throughout the world, where, in the absence of incriminating forensic evidence the conviction is based on self-incrimination – and because of the growing body of scientific research showing how vulnerable suspects (especially young suspects) are to widely used interrogation methods such as the notorious ‘Reid Technique.’ As all too many of this Blog's post have shown, I also recognize that pressure for false confessions can take many forms, up to and including inducement. deception (read ‘outright lies’) physical violence, and even physical and mental torture.
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BACKGROUND: "Jason Flom's apple podcast: "On July 17, 1973, 40 year old father of two and local chef Ting Fong Chan was beaten and stabbed to death on his way home from his night shift in Manitoba, Winnipeg, CA. A witness saw silhouettes of 4 or 5 men with long hair. Under the assumption that the men were Native American, police began to canvas the local indigenous population. A man named Adam Woodhouse told investigators about a recent gathering at his home with a few other indigenous men. Even though this gathering did not take place on the night of the crime and nothing suspicious was described, police rounded up Clarence, Russell, and Allan Woodhouse, as well as Brian Anderson. Four false statements were extracted and written in a language that neither of the accused fully understood. Not surprisingly, none of the physical evidence matched the four young men. Despite this, their alibi witnesses, and accusations of police brutality, the jury chose to believe the false confessions."
Link to the podcast - and background materials:
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FROM THE RELEASE: "The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced today that, following an extensive review, he has ordered a new trial for Mr. Brian Anderson and Mr. Allan Woodhouse under the conviction review provisions of the Criminal Code.
Before deciding to order a new trial or appeal, the Minister of Justice must be satisfied that there is a reasonable basis to conclude that a miscarriage of justice likely occurred. This determination involves a close examination of information initially submitted in support of the application, followed by an in-depth investigation. A key consideration is whether the application is supported by new matters of significance, such as new information that has surfaced since the trial and appeal.
The Minister has determined that there is a reasonable basis to conclude that a miscarriage of justice likely occurred. This is the result of the identification of new information that was not before the courts at the time of Mr. Anderson and Mr. Woodhouse’s trials or appeals. The Minister’s decision to order a new trial is not a decision about the guilt or innocence of the applicants. It is a decision to return the matter to the courts where the relevant legal issues may be determined according to the law.
In 1974, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Woodhouse, both Indigenous men, were convicted of a single count of non-capital murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for ten years. Their appeals to the Manitoba Court of Appeal were dismissed on November 8, 1974. In 1975, Mr. Anderson sought and was denied leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Mr. Anderson was released on parole in 1987 and Mr. Woodhouse in 1990. Mr. Anderson and Mr. Woodhouse submitted applications for criminal conviction review in 2019 and 2020, respectively."
The entire release can be read at:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog;
SEE BREAKDOWN OF SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG, AT THE LINK BELOW: HL
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/47049136857587929
FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices.
Lawyer Radha Natarajan;
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
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YET ANOTHER FINAL WORD:
David Hammond, one of Broadwater’s attorneys who sought his exoneration, told the Syracuse Post-Standard, “Sprinkle some junk science onto a faulty identification, and it’s the perfect recipe for a wrongful conviction.”
https://deadline.com/2021/11/alice-sebold-lucky-rape-conviction-overturned-anthony-broadwater-1234880143/
