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Update
on wrongful convictions in Canada, October, 2004 | Truscott
will have to wait some more
 January 25, 2005: The
Federal government released the first
national examination of the reasons for so many wrongful convictions
in Canada.
This should be required reading for every prosecutor, cop and
criminal defence lawyer in the country. News reports
Parsons
< < < | Lamer
inquiry
Greg Parsons
(2)
Nfld. to increase
Parsons compensation
By DENE
MOORE, September 1, 2005
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. (CP) - A man
wrongfully convicted of his mother's murder was jubilant Thursday
upon learning he'll be awarded an additional $650,000 in compensation
from the Newfoundland government.
"Everything is finally
done and over with," said Greg Parsons. "It's like
my lawyer just said to me, 'You'll never be compensated for your
ordeal,' but I can honestly say I'm satisfied."
The province's decision brings
the amount of compensation for Greg Parsons to a total of $1.3
million, including a previous settlement of $650,000.
"We feel that this is
within the scope of packages that received by wrongfully convicted
persons in Canada," provincial Justice Minister Tom Marshall
said after announcing the additional funds.
Parsons said he's pleased a
public inquiry is complete and the compensation issue settled
for good.
"My biggest goal now is
to live a private life with my family and just go on and be as
normal as we can be," he said.
It has been 14 years since
Parsons, then 19, found his mother's bloodied body in her home
early one January morning.
He was convicted in 1994 of
second-degree murder.
Parsons spent six weeks in
prison before he was released pending an appeal, but he testified
before a judicial inquiry that members of the Royal Newfoundland
Constabulary harassed him for years.
His car was pulled over daily.
He was arrested twice, once with the use of a police dog that
bit him so severely he needed 38 stitches to close the wounds.
With suspicion hanging over
him, Parsons said he was unable to find a job and eventually
turned to social services to feed his family.
Parsons was exonerated by DNA
evidence and formally acquitted in 1998. A childhood friend has
since pleaded guilty to the crime.
In 2002, Parsons accepted the
$650,000 compensation offer from the province. The province also
paid $198,000 to cover legal fees.
The case was one of a trio
in the province under scrutiny at a public inquiry that wrapped
up earlier this year.
Although compensation for Parsons
was not within the scope of the inquiry, commissioner Antonio
Lamer wrote to Marshall in June.
"The commissioner expressed
concern that Mr. Parsons was under duress and in dire need when
the original deal was agreed," Marshall said Thursday.
"He had suggested to me
that the original deal was inadequate and he suggested that I
revisit the question of compensation to ensure that a possible
injustice did not take place and we have done so."
The justice minister said the
deal has already been approved by cabinet, although Premier Danny
Williams was excluded because he acted as a lawyer for Parsons
prior to joining politics.
The final report from the inquiry
is expected by the end of the year.
Lamer is expected to make recommendations
on compensation for Ronald Dalton and Randy Druken.
Druken was convicted of the
1993 murder of his girlfriend Brenda Marie Young, largely on
the testimony of a jailhouse informant who later recanted.
The provincial Appeal Court
overturned the conviction and the charge was eventually stayed.
Druken spent nearly seven years
in prison.
Dalton spent more than eight
years behind bars for murdering his wife before the Appeal Court
overturned the conviction. He was acquitted at a new trial.
Parsons said the family may
go out for dinner and will probably do some renovations on their
cabin, but he has no plans to quit his job as a firefighter and
paramedic.
"That's one of my proudest
accomplishments," he said. "I'd never be able to give
that up."
Wrongly convicted man
seeks inquiry
By KIRK MAKIN, Globe
and Mail, Feb. 22, 2003
JUSTICE REPORTER -- Within
hours of seeing his mother's killer sent to prison for at least
18 years, Gregory Parsons had one thing on his mind -- a public
inquiry into his own 1994 wrongful conviction for the murder.
"When I think of the millions
and millions of dollars spent trying to convict me, why not find
out what went wrong?" Mr. Parsons said in an interview yesterday.
He was exonerated of the crime
in 1998. It came to light three years later that his onetime
close friend, Brian Doyle, was the person who crept into Catherine
Carroll's bedroom and stabbed her to death.
Chief Justice Derek Green of
the Newfoundland Supreme Court sentenced Mr. Doyle, 33, to life
in prison with no eligibility for parole until he has served
at least 18 years.
Lawyer Jerome Kennedy, who
represents Mr. Parsons, said Mr. Doyle's sentence "is one
of the highest sentences that has ever been imposed for a second-degree
murder.
"What we need now is to
see the trial judge and the jurors testify at a public inquiry,
so we can lift the veil of secrecy and find out what went wrong,"
Mr. Kennedy said.
If so, it would be the first
such inquiry to subpoena judges and jurors. The Newfoundland
government has promised nothing more than a closed review of
documentary evidence in the case.
Chief Justice Green noted that
Mr. Parsons trial ended with the prosecutor asking the jury:
"If Greg Parsons didn't cause his mother's death, who did?"
It was a colossal error, Chief
Justice Green said.
"The circumstances of
the case now before the court provide a dramatic example of how
the justice system can fail to function properly when a jury
is invited to engage in such improper reasoning -- and the invitation
goes uncorrected," he said.
However, he said, the Parsons
case also proved that the justice system can work even as it
is misfiring. Granted bail on several occasions even after his
conviction, Mr. Parsons spent a total of just 41 days in prison.
Greg Parsons: Settlement
3/1/02 By TRACY BARRON,
The Telegram
It should have been the end
of a chapter for Greg Parsons and the culmination of a good year.
He has become a firefighting recruit, a suspect has been charged
with his mother's 1991 murder and, Thursday, the provincial government
awarded him $650,000 in compensation for wrongfully convicting
him of the crime.
But Parsons was not the picture
of vindication when he faced reporters to talk about the award
he received on "humanitarian grounds" from the province
earlier in the day.
"I don't agree that it's
humanitarian. I asked (former premier) Brian Tobin himself for
a job, and now, all of a sudden, it's a humanitarian thing?"
he said, his bitterness over his 11-year struggle to find a job
and care for his family simmering below the surface. "I'm
trying not to be too angry today. I'm not overly happy about
it, but I'm glad that my family is not going to have to want
for groceries and that kind of thing, the way we've been living."
Parsons was exonerated by DNA
testing in February 1998. He then launched a civil suit for his
wrongful conviction. He was only 19 when he was convicted and
sentenced to life in prison. Despite requests for financial assistance
until a settlement could be reached, Parsons, who no one would
hire, waited for justice, the wheels of which turned painfully
slow.
"I would like to have
seen something done from Day 1 when I was acquitted, anything,
an interim payment at that time to make life a little bit easier,"
said Parsons, father of Zachary, 7, and Joshua, 2. "Nothing
was done. I'm just glad I got my life together on my own, thank God,
no help from the government." Parsons plowed on, becoming
a firefighter, paramedic and commercial diver. He was diving
Thursday and didn't attend the news conference announcing the
settlement, which includes a $200,000 lump-sum payment and another
$450,000 that will be invested, providing him with a monthly
income of $2,100 a month for life.
He said it's not that big a
sum after 11 years of debts and bills are paid. The province
is paying out another $198,000 for legal fees and disbursements.
Although unhappy with the settlement, Parsons said he wasn't
looking forward to another trial to pursue his claim for compensation.
"I think that this justice
system has put me through enough suffering," he said, proudly
wearing a fire department belt buckle as a badge of honour. "I
don't think I should have had to fight for three years to get
compensation. I'm just tired of it, I'm just tired of living
this life."
Parsons was looking for compensation
more on scale with amounts paid to the growing list of other
wrongfully convicted Canadians. "I feel I have one of the
strongest cases. I was the first person in Canada ever convicted
without one piece of evidence, pure hearsay evidence," he
said. "I'm just glad to have this chapter over with."
On Jan. 2, 1991, Parsons discovered
the body of his mother on the bathroom floor of her home at 16
James Pl. in St. John's. Catherine Carroll, 45, had been lying
in a pool of blood for nearly two days after being cut more than
50 times. Parsons was charged with the killing and, despite the
lack of physical evidence linking him to the scene, was convicted
of second-degree murder in February 1994.
In 1997, the Newfoundland Supreme
Court of Appeal overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial,
but in February 1998, DNA testing exonerated him. Parsons was
obviously holding back in talking with reporters. That day will
come, he said, but not while the first-degree murder case against
Brian Joseph Doyle, in which he may be called as a witness, is
before the courts and a review of his own wrongful conviction
is outstanding.
"I will have a lot more
to say in the future, but I just want to get this day done and
over with and see where all the cards fall. But this is not my
last say, by no means," he said.
Still, Parsons made it clear
he wants to see a full public inquiry into his wrongful conviction
and a say in which judge is appointed to oversee it. As Parsons
closes yet another chapter - compensation - he's looking forward
to closing the book for good. "I'm tired of being (in front
of) the camera, it's been years now," he said. "I just
can't wait to go on and live a normal life. I've been saying
it for years."
Wrongly convicted man
wins $650,000 redress
By ALLISON LAWLOR,
Globe and Mail with a report from Canadian Press, Friday, March
1, 2002 Print Edition, Page A5
After an 11-year legal battle,
Greg Parsons, the Newfoundland bodybuilder wrongfully convicted
of killing his mother, will receive $650,000 in compensation
from the Newfoundland government.
"Another chapter is closed,"
Mr. Parsons said in an interview yesterday after the announcement.
"At least this chapter is closed and I can get on with my
life."
Catherine Carroll was killed
in her St. John's home in 1991. Mr. Parsons was convicted of
her murder in 1994, but four years later was exonerated by DNA
evidence. Police later charged a former family friend with the
murder. Brian Doyle, a former resident of St. John's, was arrested
in Mississauga, Ont., and formally charged with first-degree
murder last June.
The exoneration of Mr. Parsons
led to an unconditional apology from the Newfoundland government
and a legal review. A civil lawsuit seeking compensation also
followed.
"D N A are my favorite
letters in the alphabet," Mr. Parsons said. "I'm where
I am today because of science. Science is what acquitted me."
Although he did not spend as
much time in jail, Mr. Parsons has been compared to two other
men wrongfully convicted of murder, David Milgaard and Guy Paul
Morin.
Newfoundland's Justice Minister
said it was regrettable that Mr. Parsons was convicted of a crime
he did not commit. "The government has acknowledged this
and apologized to Mr. Parsons and his family for the disruption
to their lives and the extreme anguish they have endured,"
said Kelvin Parsons, who isn't related to Greg Parsons.
While the Justice Minister
expressed his sympathy for the family, the government did not
admit the justice system did anything wrong.
"This compensation is
based on humanitarian grounds; it is not an admission of wrongdoing
by the Crown," the minister said in a statement.
Mr. Parsons's financial compensation
includes a $200,000 cash payment, $450,000 that will be invested
to provide him with a monthly income, and an additional $198,000
for legal fees and other costs. The award ends his civil case.
Receiving the compensation
after such a long wait comes as a relief, Mr. Parsons said. It
will mean being able to put groceries on the table for his two
young sons. "We were struggling to make ends meet,"
he said.
Mr. Parsons, who lives in St.
John's, works as a recruit for the fire department.
In 1998, the province appointed
a retired Supreme Court justice, Nathaniel Noel, to review the
investigation and prosecution of Mr. Parsons and come up with
recommendations for compensation in an interim report.
Parsons demands full
inquiry
cbc newfoundland, Mar 1,
2002
St. John's - Gregory
Parsons says he's not finished with the justice system. Parsons
was wrongfully convicted of murdering his mother, Catherine Carroll,
in 1991. He was cleared by DNA evidence in 1998.
On Thursday, the provincial
government announced a $650,000 compensation package for Parsons.
He says he's not fully satisfied with that, but he wants to get
on with his life.
Parsons still wants a full-scale
public inquiry into the justice system, and he wants a say in
who conducts the inquiry.
The government plans a judicial
review of the case after the trial of the man now charged with
killing Carroll. Parsons says that limited review isn't enough
to satisfy him.
Government finally compensates
Parsons
cbc-Feb 28 2002 05:45 PM
EST
St. John's - The
provincial government has agreed to pay Gregory Parsons $650,000
in compensation for his wrongful conviction of murder.
It will also pay Parsons $198,000
to cover his legal costs.
The compensation includes a
cash payment of $200, 000 and an investment of $450,000 that
will be used to generate monthly income.
Parsons said he's just glad
it's all over and he and his family can get on with their lives.
Parsons was convicted in 1994
of murdering his mother, Catherine Carroll, but was later cleared
by DNA evidence.
In announcing the award Thursday
morning, Justice Minister Kelvin Parsons said the compensation
was being made on humanitarian grounds, and was not an admission
of wrongdoing by the crown.
The minister also said the
government would complete an investigation into the circumstances
of Parsons' conviction, once outstanding criminal charges in
the case have been dealt with.
Another man, 31-year-old Brian
Joseph Doyle, was charged in June 2001 for Carroll's murder.
February 28, 2002 (Justice)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Justice Minister announces
resolution of Greg Parsons matter
Justice Minister Kelvin Parsons
today announced the resolution of compensation for Greg Parsons.
"On behalf of the Government
of Newfoundland and Labrador, I am pleased to announce that government
has resolved the issue of compensation for Mr. Gregory Parsons,"
said the Minister. "The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
and legal counsel for Mr. Parsons have agreed to a sum of $650,000
to compensate Mr. Parsons for his conviction in the death of
Catherine Carroll."
"This compensation is
based on humanitarian grounds, it is not an admission of wrongdoing
by the Crown," said Minister Parsons.
This figure includes $450,000
that will be invested to provide Mr. Parsons with a monthly income,
plus a $200,000 cash payment. In addition, $198,000 will be paid
to cover the legal fees and disbursements incurred by Mr. Parsons.
In 1998, government appointed
retired Supreme Court Justice Nathaniel Noel to complete a thorough
and comprehensive review of the investigation and prosecution
of the Parsons case and to make recommendations concerning compensation.
Justice Noel's review was suspended once civil action was initiated
by Mr. Parsons' counsel. To address the public interest question
of whether or not there was any wrongdoing in the case, and to
ensure the integrity of the justice system, government intends
to retain the services of a judge to pick up where Justice Noel
left off. This review will proceed when the outstanding charges
on the matter have concluded.
Government's approach to the
financial settlement follows the guidelines set by Mr. Justice
Peter Cory in his report into the arrest and conviction of Thomas
Sophonow. Minister Parsons stated: "In Mr. Parsons' case,
government used the factual innocence model, in which the focus
is not on attaching blame to individuals involved in the criminal
justice process; rather, it acknowledges that harm can result
from the conviction and imprisonment of the factually innocent."
The minister also noted that
he agrees with Justice Cory's recommendation that a complete
independent entity be established which can effectively, efficiently
and quickly review cases in which wrongful conviction is alleged.
The minister has written to the Federal Justice Minister, advising
that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is wholly supportive
of this recommendation and is prepared to work with the federal
government and other provinces towards the establishment of such
an entity.
Media contact: Edwina
Bateman, Communications, (709) 729-6985.
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What a difference public
pressure makes!
June 16, 2001: It doesn't look
as though the province will compensate Gregory Parsons anytime
soon. Earlier this week, Premier Grimes said the government will
review the latest developments in Parsons' case, to see if there's
any reason to forgo the lawsuit that's before the courts. But
Grimes told reporters today that the government won't be making
the first move.
GRIMES CLIP: <<<<<if
the lawyers for gregory parsons want to talk about a settlement
outside of the court or some reasonable basis, that's always
some option that's available but the gov't doesn't plan to take
any interim action and if it does it will be reported to the
people of the province by the minister of justice and the attorney-general,
'cause this is not a political matter. this is a very serious
legal matter>>>>
Parsons wants compensation
for being wrongfully convicted of killing his mother, catherine
carroll ten years ago.
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Parsons on Compensation
3/1/02 (Jeff Green, VOCM)
Gregory Parsons says he was
starved into accepting a settlement from the government for his
wrongful conviction for murder.
Parsons will receive a total
of 650-thousand dollars, including a 200-thousand dollar lump
sum payment. Parsons says the last three years have been extremely
hard on him and his family.
Parsons says the settlement
will mean a better life for his family, but he says no one can
imagine the mental anguish they've been through. Parsons' lawyer,
Steve Marshall, hopes his client has a sense of closure.
Marshall told VOCM Niteline
with George MacLaren that Parsons' reputation was tarnished,
but he's looking forward to moving on. The fallout from the Parsons
case will be felt for a long time yet. Justice Minister Kelvin
Parsons says the compensation to Parsons has no blame attached
to it, but he agrees that a review of the circumstances of the
investigation and prosecution should continue.
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