rosecutio f P ns o C ds o a m m e H it t T e P e F C s o e m l a i t n é é F p P s T e d it e su s C ur hefs des po Innocence at Stake: The Need for Continued Vigilance to Prevent Wrongful Convictions in Canada 2018 Innocence at Stake: The Need for Continued Vigilance to Prevent Wrongful Convictions in Canada Report of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Heads of Prosecutions Subcommittee on the Prevention of Wrongful Convictions 2018 Federal/Provincial/Territorial Heads of Prosecutions Subcommittee on the Prevention of Wrongful Convictions Co-Chairs: Stephen Bindman, Special Advisor on Wrongful Convictions, Department of Justice Canada Eric Tolppanen Q.C., Assistant Deputy Minister, Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, Alberta Justice and Solicitor General Report Committee: Sherri Davis-Barron, Senior Counsel, Public Prosecution Service of Canada Chief Officer Doug LePard, O.O.M., Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Superintendent Cliff O’Brien Calgary Police Service Cyndria Wedge Q.C., Director of Prosecutions, Prince Edward Island John M. Gordon Q.C. British Columbia Prosecution Service Staff Sergeant Greg Yanicki, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, E Division Leslie Paine, Deputy Director, Crown Law Office – Criminal, Ministry of Attorney General, Ontario Superintendent Darlene Savoie, Edmonton Police Service Mark Kantor, Senior Crown Attorney, Manitoba Justice Prosecutions Service Inspector Laura Livingstone, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, E Division Catherine Williams, Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, Alberta Justice and Solicitor General Members: Samantha Reynolds, Department of Justice Canada Superintendent Chuck McDonald, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, E Division Inspector David Hall, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, E Division Beverly Klatt, Senior Appellate Counsel, Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General Lieutenant (Navy) Guillaume Benoit-Gagnè, Director of Military Prosecutions Inspector Darren Campbell, M.O.M., Royal Canadian Mounted Police, NHQ Lloyd Strickland, Department of Justice and Public Safety, Newfoundland and Labrador Peter Craig, Q.C., Senior Crown Counsel, Special Prosecutions, Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service Superintendent Peter Tewfik, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, K Division Deputy Commissioner Kevin Brosseau, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, NHQ Juli Drolet, Procureure au Bureau du service juridique, Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (Québec) Superintendent Larry Montgomery, ‎Royal Canadian Mounted Police, E Division Former members since 2011: Superintendent Barbara Thornborough, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, NHQ Inspector Brian Cotton, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, NHQ Donovan Molloy, Department of Justice and Public Safety, Newfoundland and Labrador Greg Tweney, Ministry of Attorney General, Ontario Sergeant Kathy Hartwig, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, E Division Oleh Kuzma, British Columbia Prosecution Service Mary Ellen Hurman, Ministry of Attorney General, Ontario Phil Lefeuvre, Department of Justice and Public Safety, Newfoundland and Labrador Suzanne Bernard, New Brunswick Public Prosecution Service Rosella Cornaviera, Ministry of Attorney General, Ontario Jennifer Woolcombe, Ministry of Attorney General, Ontario Benita Wassenaar, Ministry of Attorney General, Ontario Superintendent Rich Lowen, Winnipeg Police Service Innocence at Stake: The Need for Continued Vigilance to Prevent Wrongful Convictions in Canada vii Acknowledgements Many people had a part to play in the creation of this Report. The Subcommittee members would like to specifically acknowledge Catherine Williams of the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service for her inimitable research and writing skills; Sharon Sully, also of the ACPS, for keeping the committee organized and on task; Jennie Gill, PhD, Vancouver Police Department for assistance in designing and analyzing the education survey; Robert J. Frater, Q.C. of the Department of Justice Canada for drafting the chapter on Crown advocacy; Caitlin Pakosh, then of Innocence Canada, for sharing her knowledge of developments in the area of expert evidence and forensic science; Shawn Porter, Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario, for drafting the excerpt on DNA in Chapter 7; Joan Barrett and Fraser Kelly, both of the Ministry of the Attorney General, for their helpful input on Chapter 5, In-Custody Informers. The team at the Public Prosecution Service which produced the Report was outstanding, especially super translator Caroline Buchler, Robert P. Doyle, Lucie Bélisle and Guylain Racine. Thank you to Kathleen Roussel, Director, for her unwavering support for this Report. This Report was only possible because of the dedication of these remarkable individuals. Thank you! Stephen Bindman Eric Tolppanen Q.C. Committee Co-Chairs viii 2018 Innocence at Stake: The Need for Continued Vigilance to Prevent Wrongful Convictions in Canada ix INDEX CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ....................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 2 – UNDERSTANDING TUNNEL VISION .................................... 7 I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................7 II. 2011 RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................9 III. INSTITUTIONAL PRESSURES THAT REINFORCE TUNNEL VISION ......................................................................................................9 IV. COURT COMMENTARY ON TUNNEL VISION SINCE 2011 REPORT ..............................................................................................13 V. MITIGATING TUNNEL VISION .....................................................................19 VI. TUNNEL VISION IN PROSECUTION POLICY ........................................25 VII. UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................26 CHAPTER 3 – EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION AND TESTIMONY ............................................................................................ 29 I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................29 II. 2011 RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................30 III. STATUS OF RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................32 IV. COURT COMMENTARY ON EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION AND TESTIMONY SINCE 2011 REPORT ..........................................................33 V. SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND MEMORY RESEARCH .....................................38 VI. MITIGATING STRATEGIES ...........................................................................39 VII. IDENTIFICATION AND EYEWITNESS CONFIDENCE ........................42 VIII. UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................44 CHAPTER 4 – FALSE CONFESSIONS ............................................................. 47 I. INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................47 II. 2011 RECOMMENDATIONS ...........................................................................47 III. LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS AND COMMENTARY ....................................48 IV. STATUS OF RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................69 V. DISCUSSION OF 2011 RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................70 VI. UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................71 x 2018 CHAPTER 5 – JAILHOUSE INFORMERS ........................................................ 73 I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................73 II. 2005 RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................73 III. 2011 RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................74 IV. IN-CUSTODY INFORMER POLICIES CURRENTLY IN PLACE ...........76 V. LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS AND COMMENTARY ......................................84 VI. UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS ..............................................................89 CHAPTER 6 – FORENSIC EVIDENCE AND EXPERT TESTIMONY ............ 93 I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................93 II. 2005 RECOMMENDATIONS ...........................................................................94 III. 2011 RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................94 IV. CANADIAN COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY SINCE 2011 .........................95 V. INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS .........................................................100 VI. LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS AND COMMENTARY ..................................109 VII. OTHER DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO FORENSIC SCIENCES & EVIDENCE IN CANADA ............................................................124 VIII. UPDATED RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................130 CHAPTER 7 – EDUCATION .......................................................................... 131 I. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................131 II. 2011 RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................131 III. THE CURRENT STATE OF TRAINING FOR POLICE AND PROSECUTORS IN CANADA ............................................................................133 IV. CURRENT EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES FOR JUDGES IN CANADA .................................................................................149