British Columbia’s police watchdog will transfer ahead with an investigation into the wrongful homicide conviction and enchantment of a Nova Scotia man who spent almost 17 years in jail.
An order-in-council was issued earlier this month, authorizing the probe by the civilian-led Unbiased Investigations Workplace, which can study particulars surrounding Glen Assoun’s case.
Assoun was convicted in 1995 of killing his ex-girlfriend, Brenda Means, however he all the time maintained his innocence.
He was imprisoned for almost 17 years and spent 5 extra years beneath strict parole situations earlier than federal Justice Minister David Lametti ordered a brand new trial, saying the unique conviction was probably a miscarriage of justice.
Provincial Crown prosecutors opted to not retry Assoun and he was lastly exonerated in 2019. Means’s killing has by no means been solved.
SIRT referred matter to B.C. company
The matter was first referred to B.C.’s police oversight company by Nova Scotia’s Severe Incident Response Staff (SIRT), which had been requested by the provincial justice minister on the time to look into the matter.
SIRT director Felix Cacchione known as in his B.C. counterpart “within the pursuits of transparency,” he mentioned on the time.
The order-in-council mentioned the inquiry will take a look at whether or not RCMP inappropriately destroyed proof in 1999 when Assoun was making ready his enchantment of his homicide conviction.
Analysis by an RCMP analyst on the time had recognized different suspects in Means’s homicide, however that info was by no means shared with Assoun’s lawyer.
The investigation may even study whether or not any member of the Halifax Regional Police dedicated any offence regarding Assoun’s authentic conviction.
Earlier this month, the Nova Scotia and federal governments introduced a compensation deal had been reached with Assoun. Phrases of that deal haven’t been launched.
