George Dangerfield: Manitoba: The Winnipeg Free Press reports that the prosecutor involved in five murder cases later deemed to be wrongful convictions (some involving junk science), died quietly more thank a year ago…"Dangerfield played a role in five wrongful conviction cases involving eight men who collectively spent nearly 150 years in prison for the killings. Many of them — Thomas Sophonow, James Driskell, Kyle Unger and Frank Ostrowski — have become well-known in the Manitoba legal community. These well-publicized cases involved non-disclosed evidence, junk science and secret deals with Crown witnesses."

PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "The most recent Dangerfield case to be overturned involved four Indigenous men from Pinaymootang First Nation. Brian Anderson, brothers Clarence Woodhouse and Russell Woodhouse, and Allan Woodhouse (who is not related to the brothers) were convicted of the 1973 slaying of Winnipeg restaurant worker Ting Fong Chang. After years of media reports, Innocence Canada — a non-profit organization that identifies and advocates for the wrongfully convicted — took on the case. In an extraordinary gesture, King’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal later overturned the convictions of three of the four men and declared them innocent of the slaying. Innocence Canada has asked Ottawa to also quash the conviction of Russell Woodhouse, so that he, too, can be declared innocent. Russell Woodhouse died in 2011."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

STORY: "Prosecutor behind wrongful convictions died in 2023," The Winnipeg Free Press reports, on December 11, 2024. (No attribution);

GIST: "Former Manitoba prosecutor George Dangerfield, who was involved in five murder cases later deemed to be wrongful convictions, died quietly more than a year ago.

Friends confirmed he died in September 2023. No obituary or public announcement was made.

Dangerfield played a role in five wrongful conviction cases involving eight men who collectively spent nearly 150 years in prison for the killings.

Many of them — Thomas Sophonow, James Driskell, Kyle Unger and Frank Ostrowski — have become well-known in the Manitoba legal community. These well-publicized cases involved non-disclosed evidence, junk science and secret deals with Crown witnesses.

Two of Dangerfield’s cases resulted in commissions of inquiry and millions of dollars in compensation being paid to the wrongfully convicted.

The most recent Dangerfield case to be overturned involved four Indigenous men from Pinaymootang First Nation. Brian Anderson, brothers Clarence Woodhouse and Russell Woodhouse, and Allan Woodhouse (who is not related to the brothers) were convicted of the 1973 slaying of Winnipeg restaurant worker Ting Fong Chang.

After years of media reports, Innocence Canada — a non-profit organization that identifies and advocates for the wrongfully convicted — took on the case.

In an extraordinary gesture, King’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal later overturned the convictions of three of the four men and declared them innocent of the slaying. Innocence Canada has asked Ottawa to also quash the conviction of Russell Woodhouse, so that he, too, can be declared innocent. Russell Woodhouse died in 2011."

The entire story can be read at:

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/12/11/prosecutor-behind-wrongful-convictions-died-in-2023

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/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985

———————————————————————————————

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;

—————————————————————————————————

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;