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 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 physical violence, even physical and mental torture.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog:
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QUOTE ONE OF THE DAY: "Lockyer said it's been "very difficult" for them to readjust to life in the community after spending more than 30 years in jail. "The bottom line is, why are two Indigenous women still serving life sentences 33 years after their convictions, when at their trial, the judge ordered that they be eligible for parole after 10 years?" Lockyer said." It's an indictment of our parole system as well, that they're still in prison 23 years after they became eligible for parole."
QUOTE TWO OF THE DAY: "Deanna Harris is the southeast regional director for Saskatchewan Legal Aid, which helped to fund the review application. She said a lot has changed in the criminal justice system over the last 30 years, in regards to the understanding of the treatment of Indigenous people. "One thing that we face so often in Canadian society is that historical injustices, we can't do very much about them other than apologize," she said. But in this case, there's actually something that can be done to right the wrong, Harris said. "They are still with us. They are still alive, and we can actually work to acknowledge that there was a miscarriage of justice in their case, and that can be remedied at this point in time."
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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "David Milgaard brought the sisters' cases to Innocence Canada, a non-profit organization that advocates for the exoneration of people who have been wrongly convicted. It filed an application with the justice minister on Dec. 21, 2021, asking for the review."
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STORY: "Justice minister says miscarriage of justice likely occurred in Sask. murder case, orders new appeal," by Reorder Hannah Spray, published by CBC News, on September 24, 2026. (Hannah Spray works as a reporter and copy editor. She began her journalism career in newspapers, first in her hometown of Meadow Lake, Sask., moving on to Fort St. John, B.C., and then to the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. She joined CBC in 2022.)
GIST: The federal minister of justice has ordered a new appeal in the case of two sisters who were convicted of murder more than 30 years ago.
The appeal was announced on Thursday, after an "in-depth" review by the ministry that took more than four years and found "reasonable grounds to conclude that a miscarriage of justice likely occurred."
Odelia and Neressa Quewezance, sisters from Keeseekoose First Nation in Saskatchewan, were convicted in 1994 of second-degree murder in the death of Anthony Joseph Dolff, a farmer from Kamsack, Sask.
"My decision does not decide guilt or innocence, as that will rest with the courts," Justice Minister Sean Fraser said in a news release.Sask. woman who spent 30 years in prison system struggling with freedom
"Our responsibility is to make sure Canadians can trust their justice system, and that means, in rare cases, returning cases to the courts for new information to be considered."
The new information was not before the courts at the time of the sisters' trial or appeal, the government said.
In an emailed statement, Odelia Quewezance spoke on behalf of herself and her sister and thanked everyone who has "kept the faith" with them over the years.
"Neressa was 18 when she was arrested and is now 52. I was 21 and am now 55. But we have never stopped fighting," Odelia said.
"Today’s announcement by the minister is encouraging and now we will continue the fight in the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal."
The murder
On Feb. 25, 1993, Dolff invited the two young Indigenous girls and their teenage cousin to his home in Kamsack, Sask.
Both girls had attended residential school and were victims of institutionalized violence, their lawyers have said. Dolff had worked at the St. Phillips Residential School on Keeseekoose First Nation.
Events that night led to Dolff's death. The cousin, who cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, confessed to stabbing him.
Odelia and Neressa were also charged with second-degree murder and were convicted after a trial in Yorkton Court of King's Bench in 1994.Indigenous sisters hope for exoneration after almost 30 years in prison system
David Milgaard brought the sisters' cases to Innocence Canada, a non-profit organization that advocates for the exoneration of people who have been wrongly convicted. It filed an application with the justice minister on Dec. 21, 2021, asking for the review.
James Lockyer, founding director of Innocence Canada, is lead counsel for the Quewezance sisters.
He said the new information they'll be bringing on appeal has to do with the period of time after Odelia and Neressa's arrest, when they were held in the Kamsack RCMP detachment for five days despite a judge's order that they be taken to a detention centre.
RCMP officers claimed Odelia and Neressa confessed over five days of questioning.
"We've got new information about that period … that we think compels an entire rethinking about the case and a complete rethinking about the reliability of their confessions," Lockyer said.
"In essence, we're alleging that the confessions that were put before the court were false confessions."
New bail application expected
The justice minister's decision sends the case back to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, where dates will be set to hear the appeal.
But Lockyer said before that happens, he will be making a bail application to the appeal court.
Odelia and Neressa previously applied for release, while the federal review was pending, and were conditionally released from custody in March 2023 after a hearing in Yorkton Court of King's Bench.
However, Neressa allegedly breached her curfew condition and is being held in a federal institution in B.C., while Odelia was charged this summer with impaired driving and is in a provincial jail.
Lockyer said it's been "very difficult" for them to readjust to life in the community after spending more than 30 years in jail.
"The bottom line is, why are two Indigenous women still serving life sentences 33 years after their convictions, when at their trial, the judge ordered that they be eligible for parole after 10 years?" Lockyer said.
"It's an indictment of our parole system as well, that they're still in prison 23 years after they became eligible for parole.""
GIST: The federal minister of justice has ordered a new appeal in the case of two sisters who were convicted of murder more than 30 years ago.
The appeal was announced on Thursday, after an "in-depth" review by the ministry that took more than four years and found "reasonable grounds to conclude that a miscarriage of justice likely occurred."
Odelia and Neressa Quewezance, sisters from Keeseekoose First Nation in Saskatchewan, were convicted in 1994 of second-degree murder in the death of Anthony Joseph Dolff, a farmer from Kamsack, Sask.
"My decision does not decide guilt or innocence, as that will rest with the courts," Justice Minister Sean Fraser said in a news release.Sask. woman who spent 30 years in prison system struggling with freedom
"Our responsibility is to make sure Canadians can trust their justice system, and that means, in rare cases, returning cases to the courts for new information to be considered."
The new information was not before the courts at the time of the sisters' trial or appeal, the government said.
In an emailed statement, Odelia Quewezance spoke on behalf of herself and her sister and thanked everyone who has "kept the faith" with them over the years.
"Neressa was 18 when she was arrested and is now 52. I was 21 and am now 55. But we have never stopped fighting," Odelia said.
"Today’s announcement by the minister is encouraging and now we will continue the fight in the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal."
The murder
On Feb. 25, 1993, Dolff invited the two young Indigenous girls and their teenage cousin to his home in Kamsack, Sask.
Both girls had attended residential school and were victims of institutionalized violence, their lawyers have said. Dolff had worked at the St. Phillips Residential School on Keeseekoose First Nation.
Events that night led to Dolff's death. The cousin, who cannot be identified under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, confessed to stabbing him.
Odelia and Neressa were also charged with second-degree murder and were convicted after a trial in Yorkton Court of King's Bench in 1994.Indigenous sisters hope for exoneration after almost 30 years in prison system
David Milgaard brought the sisters' cases to Innocence Canada, a non-profit organization that advocates for the exoneration of people who have been wrongly convicted. It filed an application with the justice minister on Dec. 21, 2021, asking for the review.
James Lockyer, founding director of Innocence Canada, is lead counsel for the Quewezance sisters.
He said the new information they'll be bringing on appeal has to do with the period of time after Odelia and Neressa's arrest, when they were held in the Kamsack RCMP detachment for five days despite a judge's order that they be taken to a detention centre.
RCMP officers claimed Odelia and Neressa confessed over five days of questioning.
"We've got new information about that period … that we think compels an entire rethinking about the case and a complete rethinking about the reliability of their confessions," Lockyer said.
"In essence, we're alleging that the confessions that were put before the court were false confessions."
Odelia and Nerissa Quewezance spent three decades in-and-out of the Canadian prison system. The Saulteaux sisters have been out on conditional release for nearly five months but now that they're out they are finding it hard to adjust.
Deanna Harris is the southeast regional director for Saskatchewan Legal Aid, which helped to fund the review application.
She said a lot has changed in the criminal justice system over the last 30 years, in regards to the understanding of the treatment of Indigenous people.
"One thing that we face so often in Canadian society is that historical injustices, we can't do very much about them other than apologize," she said.
But in this case, there's actually something that can be done to right the wrong, Harris said.
"They are still with us. They are still alive, and we can actually work to acknowledge that there was a miscarriage of justice in their case, and that can be remedied at this point in time."
Deanna Harris is the southeast regional director for Saskatchewan Legal Aid, which helped to fund the review application.
She said a lot has changed in the criminal justice system over the last 30 years, in regards to the understanding of the treatment of Indigenous people.
"One thing that we face so often in Canadian society is that historical injustices, we can't do very much about them other than apologize," she said.
But in this case, there's actually something that can be done to right the wrong, Harris said.
"They are still with us. They are still alive, and we can actually work to acknowledge that there was a miscarriage of justice in their case, and that can be remedied at this point in time."
New bail application expected
The justice minister's decision sends the case back to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, where dates will be set to hear the appeal.
But Lockyer said before that happens, he will be making a bail application to the appeal court.
Odelia and Neressa previously applied for release, while the federal review was pending, and were conditionally released from custody in March 2023 after a hearing in Yorkton Court of King's Bench.
However, Neressa allegedly breached her curfew condition and is being held in a federal institution in B.C., while Odelia was charged this summer with impaired driving and is in a provincial jail.
Lockyer said it's been "very difficult" for them to readjust to life in the community after spending more than 30 years in jail.
"The bottom line is, why are two Indigenous women still serving life sentences 33 years after their convictions, when at their trial, the judge ordered that they be eligible for parole after 10 years?" Lockyer said.
"It's an indictment of our parole system as well, that they're still in prison 23 years after they became eligible for parole.""
The entire story can be read at:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/quewezance-murder-conviction-review-appeal-ordered-9.7356780
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/quewezance-murder-conviction-review-appeal-ordered-9.7356780
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. 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. 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;
