|
 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
See the story of
Don Wilson
Michael McTaggart's Life
1954 - Born Michael McTaggart in Etobicoke,
Ontario
.
1970 - Michael begins performing
an Elvis act at the Yonge/Bloor subway station and was dubbed
"Subway Elvis" by the Toronto Star.
1970's - Subway launches his
stage career and tours across Southern Ontario.
Aug. 16 1977 - The real Elvis
dies, reviving Subway's flagging career. He tours the US on revival
shows with featured greats like Chuck Berry, Chubby Checker and
Jerry Lee Lewis.
Feb. 17, 1986 - While waiting
for a train in Toronto's Kipling station Subway is arrested for
armed robbery. In total he's charged with seven armed robberies,
four in Burlington and three in Kitchener. He spends ten months
in jail awaiting a trial.
1988 - Two trials are held
for the Burlington robberies. In the second Subway is convicted
on two of the robberies. The judge sentences him to five years
in jail at Millhaven in Kingston. After several weeks he's out
on bail pending an appeal.
1989 - Subway begins performing
with a new group called the Slammers.
In the meantime the armed robber
strikes again in Woodbridge, west of Toronto. Subway is arrested
two days later at his mother's house. He spends another eight
and a half months in jail.
A jury acquits Elvis on the
Woodbridge charges and a new police investigator notices that
the heists had continued while Elvis was in jail. The case against
him unraveled.
June 1990 - After spending
twenty months in prison Subway is exonerated.
October 1990 - Subway forges
a series of cheques on his mother's account and loses almost
$30,000 at the Greenwood racetrack. He spends three months in
jail for fraud.
1991 - Subway files a lawsuit
for 4.25 million in damages for malicious prosecution.
Aug. 11, 1995 - Subway claims
that he was trapped in the TTC's only fatal subway crash. He
sues for compensation under a class action suit on behalf of
the victims but he has difficulty proving that - this time -
he was there.
2000 - During the civil trial
evidence surfaces that two bank employees had originally identified
another man as the robber. The information comes from a second,
hidden set of police notebooks that were never disclosed to the
crown or the defence.
Dec. 15, 2000 - Subway receives
his judgment from the court on his wrongful conviction and days
later holds a press conference with the Association in Defense
of the Wrongfully Convicted in Toronto. The judge ruled that
the Halton police had withheld information from both the Crown
and the defense and thus Michael McTaggart did not receive a
fair trial.
Feb. 3, 2001 - Subway plays
a comeback performance at the Black Swan in Toronto.
July 3, 2001 - Subway signs
the settlement agreement and a little over two weeks later receives
his cheque for $380,000.
timeline from the CBC Witness
website
See the story of
Don Wilson
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