You may be aware of names like David Milgaard, Steven Truscott, Guy Paul Morin, Romeo Phillion, and many more. But the details around their wrongful convictions under Canadian law are not well known. Guilty As Charged will change that.
The astonishing, true portrayals covered in this book reveal innocent men and women struggling with unjust sentences while many of them languish in penitentiaries. Their powerful stories bring you up to date with the facts on why wrongful convictions occur. They reveal how blame-free inmates, faced with the prospect of their lives deteriorating behind bars, chose to plead guilty as their best option. You’ll see how some prisoners tried to fight a justice system that makes it challenging even to be heard. And you’ll learn about the disgraced doctor whose shocking, controversial medical claims sent several innocent citizens to jail, when they should never have been there. (He was finally found out and stripped of his medical licence.)
"I'm very proud of Guilty As Charged," says author Peter Jennings. "I hope it will enrage readers as it has me that this kind of thing can still occur."
The astonishing, true portrayals covered in this book reveal innocent men and women struggling with unjust sentences while many of them languish in penitentiaries. Their powerful stories bring you up to date with the facts on why wrongful convictions occur. They reveal how blame-free inmates, faced with the prospect of their lives deteriorating behind bars, chose to plead guilty as their best option. You’ll see how some prisoners tried to fight a justice system that makes it challenging even to be heard. And you’ll learn about the disgraced doctor whose shocking, controversial medical claims sent several innocent citizens to jail, when they should never have been there. (He was finally found out and stripped of his medical licence.)
"I'm very proud of Guilty As Charged," says author Peter Jennings. "I hope it will enrage readers as it has me that this kind of thing can still occur."
“Can you imagine if we had the death penalty
in this country? We would have been
executing innocent people.”
Irwin Cotler, Former Attorney General of Canada
“It's very difficult to establish that someone
has been wrongfully convicted. The system
doesn't make it easy for you to do that.
The system tends to fight you all the way.”
James Lockyer, lawyer/founding director, Innocence Canada
“You die a little bit each day that you
spend in a penitentiary, especially
when you have not committed the
crime you’re there for. This can
happen to you!”
One of the “lifers” revealed in the book.
“Imagine knowing that you
are innocent, but you plead guilty anyway
because that seems like the best option.”
Steve Paikin, TV Host, The Agenda
“It's unbelievable what these people
have had to experience!
Hard to believe this happens in Canada.”
A Beta reader
in this country? We would have been
executing innocent people.”
Irwin Cotler, Former Attorney General of Canada
“It's very difficult to establish that someone
has been wrongfully convicted. The system
doesn't make it easy for you to do that.
The system tends to fight you all the way.”
James Lockyer, lawyer/founding director, Innocence Canada
“You die a little bit each day that you
spend in a penitentiary, especially
when you have not committed the
crime you’re there for. This can
happen to you!”
One of the “lifers” revealed in the book.
“Imagine knowing that you
are innocent, but you plead guilty anyway
because that seems like the best option.”
Steve Paikin, TV Host, The Agenda
“It's unbelievable what these people
have had to experience!
Hard to believe this happens in Canada.”
A Beta reader
We like to say our Canadian justice system is one of the best in the world.
But for people who’ve been imprisoned for serious crimes
they had nothing to do with, you’ll likely get a different story.
But for people who’ve been imprisoned for serious crimes
they had nothing to do with, you’ll likely get a different story.
