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2004: Inquiry
set | 2005: The Milgaard
Inquiry at last! | Inquiry
begins |
David Milgaard
Milgaard
will get $10 million, CBC Newsworld, Mon May 17 1999 | CHRONOLOGY of EVENTS | Aug
19, 1997 (Government News Release) STATEMENT ON MILGAARD COMPENSATION
AND PUBLIC INQUIRY | More
on David Milgaard | Newsclippings
on the case | The Larry Fisher
Trial |
Time to Celebrate, but
let's go easy on the champagne . . .
Congratulations,
David Milgaard, and may you be the first of many Saskatchewan
citizens to find justice at last!
Years ago when
we put up this page, Joyce Milgaard was promising a camp-out
on the lawn of the Regina legislature as she toured the country
promoting her new book. Her campaign was effective in getting
the compensation and it was also effective in showing something
else: The Saskatchewan government is stubborn and unresponsive
to calls for justice until they have no choice. They took from
David Milgaard years of his life which no money can ever replace.
At this writing (April, 2000) they are scrambling to cover-up
the deaths of several people in Saskatoon at the hands of reckless
police and the smearing of dozens of citizens with false charges
of sex crimes against children.
Nilson also announced there
will be yet another Public Inquiry to find out what went wrong.
If we remember, there was one done already, and the government
chose to sit on Judge Gold's recommendations.
The Saskatchewan government
also had an inquiry into Martensville, and led the public to
believe it was an inquiry into all the cases of bungled charges
of sexual abuse. The report came back that no mistakes had been
made. on further pressing, they said that they did not submit
the Foster Parent case to be scrutinized! That's when Quinney
made his famous statement.
If they didn't like
the idea of Joyce Milgaard camping on the legislature lawn, how
would they feel about two dozen people that they have, through
official misdeeds, branded as sex offenders -- child molesters!--
camping on the lawn?
Milgaard will get $10 million
CBC Newsworld, Mon May 17
1999
REGINA - David Milgaard is
about to receive the largest compensation package in Canadian
criminal history. The Saskatchewan government has announced it
is offering Milgaard $10 million in compensation for being wrongfully
imprisoned for almost a quarter of a century.
TALLY: Is $10 million enough?
Saskatchewan Justice Minister
John Nilson made the announcement on Monday in Regina.
"This has been a complex
and difficult matter," Nilson said. "Throughout this
process our government has remained committed to achieving fair
compensation for the Milgaards."
Most of the money will go to
Milgaard who spent 22 years in jail for a crime he didn't comit,
but a share will also go to his mother, Joyce, who fought for
years to clear his name. It will be up to Milgaard to decide
how much of the money he will share with his brothers and sisters.
Joyce Milgaard said the family
will keep it private how the money will be divided up. She said,
"It was the whole family that did this - it wasn't just
Joyce Milgaard."
The federal government will
contribute $4 million to the settlement while the government
of Saskatchewan will contribute the remaining $6 million. Milgaard
and his family signed the deal on Sunday evening.
The compensation follows nearly
two years of drawn-out negotiations between Milgaard's lawyers
and retired Quebec judge Alan Gold, who represented the NDP government.
While Milgaard may be a millionaire
the compensation can never make up for the 46-year-old's long
and torturous ordeal, supporters say.
Milgaard was just 17 when he
was sent to prison in 1970 for the brutal sex-slaying of nursing
aide Gail Miller in Saskatoon. He suffered horrendous abuse behind
bars. He was raped and tried to commit suicide. He escaped twice
and was shot while being recaptured by police in Toronto.
Milgaard was released from
prison in 1992 after years of efforts by his mother led to a
review of his case by the Supreme Court of Canada. The high court
threw out Milgaard's conviction and he was finally exonerated
in July 1997 after DNA tests proved that semen found at the crime
scene didn't match his.
Larry Fisher has since been
charged with the rape and murder of Gail Miller. His trial begins
Oct. 12 in Yorkton, Sask.
Milgaard's lawyers contend
Saskatoon police and Saskatchewan justice officials covered up
or ignored evidence pointing to another suspect, even going so
far as to destroy files relevant to the case.
Milgaard, who lives with his
wife in Vancouver, launched two lawsuits against officials. It
wasn't immediately clear if the lawsuits will be dropped as a
result of the settlement.
The Saskatchewan Justice Department
apologized to Milgaard after he was exonerated and promised compensation
and a public inquiry.
While the compensation issue
is now settled, it could be years before the inquiry is called.
That's because it must wait until Fisher's trial is over.
CHRONOLOGY of EVENTS
 Jan. 31, 1969: Body of Gail Miller found in a Saskatoon
snowbank. Milgaard is travelling through Saskatoon the morning
she is found.
mid-1969: Milgaard is arrested and charged
with murder.
Jan. 31,
1970: Milgaard is convicted
of murdering Miller; sentenced to life.
Jan. 31,
1971: Saskatchewan Court
of Appeal rejects Milgaard's appeal.
Nov. 15,
1971: Supreme Court of
Canada refuses to hear Milgaard's appeal.
1973: Milgaard escapes from Stony Mountain
Penitentiary, north of Winnipeg. He is later returned to prison.
- 1980 Milgaard does not return to prison
after being released on day pass. He is recaptured 77 days later
in Toronto.
Dec. 1988: Milgaard's lawyers apply to have
the case reopened.
1988: An unsuccessful attempt is made to
get DNA testing done.
- Feb. 27, 1991: Kim Campbell, then federal justice
minister, turns down a request to reopen the case.
August,
1991: Milgaard's lawyers
file second application to have the case reopened.
Feb. 27,
1991: Campbell directs
the Supreme Court to review Milgaard's conviction.
1992: Top court says Milgaard should have
new trial. He is freed after Saskatchewan decides not to prosecute
him again. He is not formally acquitted.
July 18,
1997: Milgaard's team announces
more sophisticated DNA tests in Britain prove Milgaard did not
commit Miller's murder. That same day, Milgaard receives apology
from the Saskatchewan government for his wrongful conviction.
July 25,
1997: Larry Fisher arrested
in Calgary for the rape and murder of Gail Miller. His trial
will begin in Yorkton, Sask., on Oct. 12, 1999.
Aug 19, 1997 (Government
News Release)
STATEMENT ON MILGAARD
COMPENSATION AND PUBLIC INQUIRY
Justice Minister John Nilson
today made the following statement:
"With respect to the wrongful
conviction of David Milgaard, we have carefully assessed the
question of how compensation should be determined and the issue
of whether a public inquiry will be held. I am pleased today
to announce developments with respect to both of these matters.
"The Saskatchewan Department
of Justice has asked the Honourable Alan B. Gold, the retired
Chief Justice of the Quebec Superior Court, to enter into negotiations
with David Milgaard and his family on behalf of the Government
of Saskatchewan. The purpose of these negotiations is to determine
the amount of compensation to be paid to Mr. Milgaard for his
wrongful conviction, including the question of interim payment.
The negotiations will proceed immediately.
"Mr. Gold has returned
to private practice and has a national reputation as a skilful
negotiator. In the past year, he successfully negotiated a settlement
on behalf of the Ontario government for compensation to be paid
to Guy Paul Morin, who had been wrongfully convicted of murder.
"We have asked Mr. Gold to negotiate with the objective
of achieving a fair and principled settlement. We are confident
that his expertise in similarly difficult and unique matters
will help us to frame the principles around compensation and
negotiate an agreement that is acceptable to both the government
and the Milgaards.
"Today, I am also announcing
that the Government of Saskatchewan will hold a full, public
inquiry into the investigation of the death of Gail Miller and
the subsequent conviction of David Milgaard. This inquiry will
proceed as soon as it is clear it will not interfere with any
criminal proceedings or civil litigation. Further details will
be announced at an appropriate time," Nilson said. ( David Milgaard page 1998)
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Truth can never be
told so as to be understood, and not be believ'd.