Struggle for Justice

Jamie Nelson was wrongfully convicted of rape by a woman who went on to accuse more than 30 other men of assault or rape. The ordeal cost him his 3 children, who were seized from their mother and adopted while he was in jail. Miraculously, when the episode aired, the children recognized their baby pictures and found their parents on Facebook.

In 1990, Michel Dumont was convicted and sentenced to 52 months in jail for rape. The case against him was based on the testimony of the victim. Not long after his arrest, the victim changed her mind and reported to the police that the supposed attacker was not Dumont. Unfortunately, this crucial information was withheld from the trial and Dumont ended up in jail for a crime he did not commit.

In 1992, Félix Michaud is arrested for the murder of 72-year old Rose Gagné. The charge is based solely on the testimony of Marco Albert, a drug addict. Michaud is convicted and sentenced to life. After multiple trials, a new lawyer finds evidence withheld by the crown, evidence that fully exonerates Michaud. He is set free in 2001, nine years after his arrest for a crime he did not commit.

In 1988, Ronald Dalton's wife was pronounced dead at a hospital after choking on cereal. A pathologist conducted an autopsy and concluded that she had been strangled. Dalton was found guilty of the 2nd degree murder of his wife and sentenced to life. He served 8.5 years waiting for an appeal. With a new lawyer, he won an appeal and was set free after experts agreed that she was not strangled.

In 1961, in Mont Laurier, several gunmen break into a house and rob a couple of $4,000. That night Réjean Hinse from Montréal, gets arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison for the armed robbery crime he never committed. After 8 years in prison he was liberated under custody. 29 years after his release, he was finally acquitted by the Canadian Supreme Court.

Donald Marshall Jr., a Mi'kmaq from Nova Scotia, was destined to succeed his father as Chief. Instead, he was convicted of murder at age 17 and spent 11 years in jail. One of Canada's highest profile wrongful conviction cases, it revealed many flaws and systemic racism in the justice system. This episode marked the first time Donald agreed to tell his own story on camera.

Pierre Gill was accused of beating up a 14 year old boy in the woods at the back of a high school. Unfortunately for Gill, a biker with an existing criminal record and a tattooed "criminal" look, the police, the judge, the prosecutor believed the boy's story. After 9 months in prison, Pierre's luck changed. The police discovered the boy's story was a lie.

In 1994 a serial rapist terrorizes the city of Montreal. Daniel Gélinas is accused of a terrible crime he never committed. The media called him "The Rapist of the East." Four months after his arrest the real rapist is caught and admits to the rapes before committing suicide in prison. Daniel Gélinas is finally released but this whole experience will change his life forever.

Réjean Pépin was accused of stealing from various dry cleaning stores in his hometown. The prosecutor managed to convince the judge that Réjean had enough time to commit the crimes even though he was busy working two jobs. Réjean spent 5 months in prison before Alain Vezina, the real criminal, admitted to the crimes. Réjean struggled for 16 years to receive compensation from the government.

Wilson Nepoose, a Samson Cree from a reservation in Alberta, did not survive his ordeal at the hands of the Canadian justice system. Wrongfully convicted of murder, he was eventually released but never fully exonerated. His spirit broken, Wilson wandered off and froze to death one winter. His brother remains heartbroken years later , choosing to tell his brother's sorrowful tale.