Press Release:
Innocence Canada
Monday, July 17, 2023
Two Indigenous Men Return to Court in Winnipeg where They were Convicted 50 Years Ago
___________________________________________________
Brian Anderson and Allan Woodhouse, two young Indigenous men, members of the Pinaymootang First Nation on the Fairford Indian Reserve in Manitoba, were convicted of a murder they didn’t commit 50 years ago.
On June 22, 2023, Justice Minister David Lametti quashed their murder convictions and ordered new trials for them both. Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, they return to the Court of King’s Bench in Winnipeg for the first time since they were wrongly convicted to appear before the Chief Justice of the Court for their new trials.
Mr. Anderson and Mr. Woodhouse, both now in their late 60s, have always proclaimed their innocence but no one listened to them. Several years ago, Innocence Canada adopted their cases and brought them before the Justice Minister urging him to quash their convictions.
Tomorrow will be the next step on their road to vindication. They will appear before Chief Justice Glenn Joyal at 10:00 a.m. in the King’s Bench Court at 408 York Avenue, Winnipeg.
Jerome Kennedy, a Director of Innocence Canada, who has led the case for their vindication, said today:
“50 years has been an interminable wait for Brian Anderson and Allan Woodhouse but they never gave up. Tomorrow will be an extraordinary day for them, to be back in the very same court whether they were wrongly convicted.”
Brian Anderson and Allan Woodhouse, who assisted Mr. Kennedy with the case, said today:
“Innocence Canada is privileged to have been able to help these two men and we will be there with them tomorrow.”
For further information, contact:
Jerome Kennedy at 709-725-2966 or jkennedy@wrmmlaw.com
James Lockyer at 416-518-7983 or jlockyer@lzzdefence.ca
