Mailman and Gillespie will be appearing before Chief Justice Tracey DeWare of the King’s Bench Court re: murder

Bench Court today 40 years after they were charged and convicted in the murder of George Leeman

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Innocence Canada is announcing that this afternoon, Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 1:30 p.m., Robert (Bobby) Mailman and Walter (Wally) Gillespie will be appearing before Chief Justice Tracey DeWare of the King’s Bench Court in Saint John, New Brunswick, 40 years after they were charged and convicted in the murder of George Leeman.

 

On November 30, 1983, Mr. Leeman’s body was found by a jogger in a wooded area in Rockwood Park, Saint John.  Mr. Leeman was the victim of a significant beating, and his body was partially burned.  Mr. Leeman was living in Saint John in a rooming house when he was murdered.

 

Between January 19 and 21, 1984, the Saint John Police Service charged Wally Gillespie and Bobby Mailman with the murder.  

 

Mr. Gillespie and Mr. Mailman both had strong alibis with multiple witnesses placing them kilometers from the crime scene on the day of the murder.  Nevertheless, they were convicted of the murder on May 11, 1984.  Both were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole eligibility for at least 18 years.  Not for one day since then have they wavered in insisting on their innocence.

 

Mr. Mailman who served 18 years in prison, sadly, is terminally ill.  He is 76 years of age.  He also lives in Saint John. Mr. Gillespie served 21 years of his life sentence in prison and is presently living in a halfway house in Saint John.  He is now 80 years of age. 

 

On December 22, 2023, Justice Minister Arif Virani quashed the murder convictions of both men on the grounds that there was a reasonable basis to conclude that a miscarriage of justice likely occurred in their case. The Minister directed new trials for both.

 

Tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. will be Mr. Mailman and Mr. Gillespie’s first appearance in court since the Minister’s decision. As noted, they will be appearing before the Chief Justice at 1:30 p.m. The courthouse is located at 10 Peel Plaza in Saint John. Mr. Mailman and Mr. Gillespie will be accompanied by Innocence Canada counsel Jerome Kennedy and James Lockyer. 

  

RELEASED ISSUED FOR INNOCENCE CANADA RE: ANDERSON AND WOODHOUSE

 

Press Release:  

Innocence Canada

Monday, July 17, 2023 

 

Two Indigenous Men Return to Court in Winnipeg where They were Convicted 50 Years Ago

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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