The Wrongful Conviction of Canadian, Guy Paul Morin

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The Wrongful Conviction of Canadian, Guy Paul Morin

On January 23, 1995 Guy Paul Morin was exonerated of a first-degree murder conviction of Christine Jessop, ten years after his arrest and two lengthy criminal trials. This is a case where the justice system failed at all levels and has left the Ontario courts asking how it happened.

On October 3, 1984 nine year old Christine Jessop was abducted from her home in Queensville, Ontario. Her body was found three months later, fifty five kilometers east of her home, raped and stabbed to death (Fennell, 1997).

In the weeks following the discovery of Christine's body, the police revealed several strong suspects but no direct evidence linking anybody. Shortly thereafter they began to focus on Morin, solely because of his "strange behaviour" (Chisholm, 1995). Police became even more suspicious when Morin failed to attend the funeral - he thought he had to be invited (Chisholm, 1995). This series of circumstantial evidence became further plagued with errors and tainted testimony as his trials wore on. Right from the start there exist a prejudice towards Morin. Police convinced the Jessop's to perjure themselves so that evidence would stick. When brought in for questioning, the interrogation was audio taped for corroboration. The tape ran out after forty-five minutes and Fitzpatrick and Shephard testified that in the remaining ninety minutes Morin confessed to the killing and repeatedly made guilty comments (King, 1998).

The prosecution suffered from staggering tunnel vision in Morin's guilt. Their entire case for both trials was built on a few arguably points. There was the "evidence" of Morin's opportunity to commit the crime, the supposed confessions during interrogation, h...

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...n convicting an innocent man. When prosecutors and police violate our human rights, even under the delusion that it is being done solely for good, the province itself becomes a lawbreaker using people in power to achieve a particular goal. According to Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, "the greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning, but without understanding" (King, 1998).

Bibliography

Chisholm, P. (1995). "Righting a Wrong" in Maclean's. 108 (6). Toronto: Maclean0Hunter.

D'Arcy, J. (1993). "Morin Fights Back" in Maclean's. 106 (3). Toronto: Maclean-Hunter.

Fennell, T. (1997). "I'm Sorry, Paul" in Maclean's. 110 (26). Toronto: Maclean-Hunter.

King, J. (1998) www.criminaljustice.org/CHAMPION/ARTICLES/98aug01.htm

Wickens, B. (1998). "Final Vindication" in Maclean's. 111 (16). Toronto: Maclean-Hunter.

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