UPDATE: The Extradition process | Reports from trial in Florida | Ralph Crompton: Pants on fire!

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Monique Turenne

Monique Turenne: The frame which was started in Florida found a willing accomplice in the Winnipeg Police.

March 11, 2003: Monique Turenne contacted injusticebusters one year ago. I had not heard of her and so I plugged her name into Google and presto: a series of lurid headlines popped up. Murderess, adulterer, fugitive from justice. Did I really want to get involved with this?

The main cop on the case was Loren Schinkel, who claimed he got a confession from her but in fact, forged it.

He signed an affidavit which was presented, along with the forged confession, to a Florida Grand Jury. U. S. Grand Jury proceedings are secret.

I began an e-mail conversation with Turenne. She told me Winnipeg Free Press journalist Dan Lett had written a two part feature. He had gone to Florida, done the research and written the only balanced account of her situation. Except for a few quibbles she was satisfied with the article. One of those quibbles was her alleged sexual affair with Ralph Crompton, the man convicted of her husband's murder. This important article was not available online and neither Lett or his editors would provide us with an electronic version. I re-typed the entire two-part series from scanned copies of the original newspaper.

Now when you punch "Monique Turenne" into Google, a more balanced selection of material pops up.

Crompton provided Lett with so much detail about the "affair" that it is understandable Lett would think there must have been something to it. Monique, on the other hand, absolutely denies there was anything between her and Crompton. The only evidence of the "affair" comes from Crompton's mouth. Incarcerated and facing the death penalty he had lots of time to concoct a detailed story. He would not be the first to behave so in such circumstances.

There are more than a few nagging questions. From Monique Turenne's accounts, and from the evidence of David Turenne's overrun credit cards, combined with new evidence of "Diablo", the pony-tail man who held young Daniel hostage, it would seem quite likely that David Turenne's murderer was part of the criminal underworld in which he had become immersed. It is conceivable that Crompton was the unidentified man on the other side of the door.

Certainly Monique Turenne was subjected to interrogation techniques by Winnipeg police. CBC's Disclosure has shown us other cases where such techniques -- threats, lies, sleep deprivation, etc. -- have produced detailed confessions which were absolutely false. Used improperly, these techniques are in violation of several Charter rights. Monique Turenne withstood all these techniques and maintained her innocence. She alleges that Loren Schinkel falsified a confession and a perjured affidavit to back it up.

The Winnipeg Police, who are now under scrutiny for the chief's role in keeping James Driskell incarcerated for almost 14 years, are not pleased that this story is now available online and they are particularly not pleased that we have reproduced the manufactured "confession" that Loren Schinkel provided to U.S. authorities. Chief Jack Ewatski wrote to me, claiming foul play. In the Winnipeg Police Association, it would seem fair play involves the initial covering up of illegal methods followed by a cover-up by prosecutors, which the Driskell case demonstrates thay could count on, ending with convictions of innocent people. The publication of material they are trying to keep secret is apparently not playing fair. Sorry, Jack. The rules change when the game is played fairly.

Ralph Crompton could shed new light on this case if he would tell the truth. His web of lies might take ages to unravel but unravel it he must if we are ever to know who killed David Turenne.

Full disclosure from the hearing where he admitted to the pony-tail man's existence would shed a few rays. > > >

Truth can never be told so as to be understood, and not be believ'd.
William Blake, The Proverbs of Hell

Truth suppress'd, whether by courts or crooks, will find an avenue to be told. Sheila Steele, injusticebusters.com

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Winnipeg Police stories

Number of complaints filed against Manitoba police higher in 2003

Monique Turenne

Extradition order comes down: 2003

The incredible persecution of Monique Turenne previous

Nov. 2002: Monique Turenne's father writes to Law Enforcement Review Agency

Beyond a coerced confession

injusticebusters gets a letter from Winnipeg Police Chief

Monique Turenne has been denied disclosure of material which would assist her in fighting extradition. The law regarding disclosure in criminal cases had been clearly laid out in Stinchcombe. Extradition law is not so clear -- and not so fair. In the coming weeks injusticebusters will clearly explain the differences -- and show why the law must change.

Monique Turenne speaks out for the first time

Dan Lett wrote a week-end feature in the Winnipeg Free Press, May, 2000. This story, almost three years old is the most thorough investigation of the murder of David Turenne. We have it on the following four pages: Part 1: a | b Part 2: a | b

The gutter press has continued to feed on the lies originally planted by Florida police with eager co-operation of Winnipeg Police Detective Sergeant Loren Schinkel (now head of the Winnipeg Police Association) and fueled by in-laws looking for ju$tice. Winnipeg Sun, October, 1988 | Winnipeg Sun, February, 2001 |

Headlines with links to the stories | Return to previous page

James Driskell | 2003: Tokarchuk killing in Winnipeg (a case which shows how a few bad cops, a powerful -- and misguided -- police union and lack of communication within the force can be a deadly mix)

individual injustice stories | Index to Saskatoon Police stories