Glen Assoun Compensated for Wrongful Conviction
For immediate release
March 04, 2021 – 6:15 PM
HALIFAX: Innocence Canada confirmed today that a confidential financial settlement was recently reached between the Nova Scotia and federal governments and Glen Assoun, a 64-year-old Nova Scotia man who was exonerated in 2019 in the 1995 murder of Brenda LeAnne Way.
"As is the norm when a settlement is negotiated in a case where a miscarriage of justice took place, the terms cannot be disclosed," said Ron Dalton, co-president of Innocence Canada. "Suffice to say, no amount of money could ever make up for the years of freedom Glen lost to a parade of errors and misjudgements by police and prosecutors."
Ms. Way, a 28-year-old prostitute, had been trying to clean up her life when she was found dead in an alley on Nov. 12, 1995. She had sustained multiple stab wounds and her throat had been cut. Convicted in 1999, Mr. Assoun ended up spending almost 17 years behind bars.
"At a certain point all of our clients need to get out from under the burden of wrongful conviction and get on with what remains of their lives," said Mr. Dalton, who was himself wrongly convicted in 1989 of murdering his wife.
Lawyers Phil Campbell and Sean MacDonald, who have represented Mr. Assoun throughout his quest for justice, noted that, while Mr. Assoun has shown tremendous resiliency throughout his two decade-long ordeal his financial sacrifices were significant as he was denied the ability to work and amass savings for his later years.
“At the end of the day, Minister Lametti and the Prime Minister and the Nova Scotia government did the right thing for Glen," Mr. MacDonald said. "And that should be celebrated.”
The settlement has the added benefit of being formal recognition by the governments involved that terrible mistakes took place in Mr. Assoun's case, Mr. Dalton said.
He noted that the 17 years Mr. Assoun spent in prison and the further five years he was on strict bail conditions added to the time the real killer has been at large.
"While Glen’s ordeal has lasted over twenty years and he will continue to carry the scars of his experience, we at Innocence Canada want to express our gratitude to Federal Justice Minister Lametti and others who ensured that this important step has been taken to get Glen back his life."
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For further information, please contact:
Kerry Emmonds – Executive Director
Innocence Canada
416-504-7500 ext. 101
Issued by Stephen Weir
