The term "Crown" refers to the prosecution, representing the government, and presenting the case against the accused. It is possible for the defence and the Crown to achieve a resolution, often referred to as a plea agreement or negotiated resolution, either before or during trial. This happens when both sides mutually agree to an acceptable outcome instead of pursuing a complete trial. Ostamas pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Miles Monias, Stony Stanley Bushie and Donald Collins, who were homeless, in April 2015. His minimum 75-year-sentence without parole was the longest ever handed down in Manitoba.
For over 15 years, CGSJ has been dedicated to providing the absolute best possible legal defence and unwavering support to each and every one of our clients. CGSJ Criminal Defence lawyers are on call 24 hours a day and are available when you need it most. Chartier said Mitchell's high moral culpability in the murder requires the parole ineligibility period be increased.



Nygard was acquitted of one of the five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement. A person convicted of criminal harassment may end up with a criminal record, fines, probation, and in some circumstances, up to 10 years in jail. If placed on probation, the Court will almost always order the offender to have no contact or communication with the victim. assault lawyer The men’s convictions were based largely on a signed confession given by Anderson to police, but lawyers have said Anderson did not know what he was signing and English was not his first language. A former Winnipegger and University of Manitoba law school graduate has been elected a judge to preside over international cases of genocide and crimes against humanity.

If you need a criminal defence lawyer that specializes in drug offences, let us see how we can help you. There are many aspects of the criminal justice system that move excruciatingly slow. Like any important decision, it is important to get informed at the earliest available opportunity. The first step is to meet with a criminal defence lawyer to understand what options are available, and how you intend to proceed.
He also lived with her as a teenager after he served time in custody for a robbery conviction, Henley told the court. That was demonstrated during several phone conversations intercepted by police, where Shane was heard either threatening someone or talking about using violence, court heard. Bob Aloneissi, an Edmonton lawyer who also practices in Red Deer said that it was easier for his client to stop paying Shachtay rather than kill her. The young lady, who cannot be named as she was still a minor when she committed the offence, was convicted for sharing sexually explicit photos of her boyfriend's former girlfriend.

The lawyers at CGSJ understand the stress you may be feeling when facing criminal charges; a conviction can impact your family, your livelihood, and your freedom. Navigating the legal system can be daunting, but our experienced team will be there to support you legally and emotionally every step of the way. Contact CGSJ today, and together we will focus on building your best possible defence to ensure your rights, your reputation, and your future are protected. An appeal is a request to a higher court to change a verdict, a sentence or some other decision made by a lower court.
It said the Calgary-based lawyer has not had any communication with the judge since an apology he made for having Joyal followed in 2021. In addition, there are variations of these offences and sometimes they might overlap with other crimes, such as assault. If you are in trouble don't waste your time meeting with other lawyers.

Sexual assaultis defined by the Criminal Code of Canada as any form of non-consensual sexual contact or activity that violates the victim's sexual integrity, regardless of the specific body part involved. WASHINGTON — The head of the Justice Department’s criminal division is leaving at the end of July after two years of overseeing work that ranged from corporate fraud prosecution to war crimes investigations. Manitoba's highest court has unanimously agreed to overturn a Winnipeg serial killer's sentence, one which would have kept him behind bars for 75 years without a chance at parole. John Paul Ostamas will now be eligible to ask for parole in 2040 after his punishment for three counts of second-degree murder was changed from being consecutive to concurrent sentences. Manitoba’s highest court has unanimously agreed to overturn a Winnipeg serial killer’s sentence, one which would have kept him behind bars for 75 years without a chance at parole.
On Wednesday evening, it announced in a news release its membership had voted to reject the province’s final contract offer through the collective bargaining process — sending the two sides to arbitration. Until then, the women who have spoken publicly and privately about their experiences will be left with a sense of vicarious justice served through court cases in other jurisdictions. Manitoba’s Crown attorney’s office has not publicly shared its reasons for forgoing most of the charges against Nygard, leaving many of the above questions unanswered. Last week, Peter Nygard was found guilty on four counts of sexual assault.
Others take weeks, months, or, in complex matters, years to complete. Necessary measures have been taken to protect the confidentiality of the personal information you provide when communicating with us. This information is used by employees of the Department of Justice to communicate with you with regards to your comments. We do not use the information to create individual profiles, nor do we disclose this information.

We heard of impaired driving charges taking over a year to be dealt with and of people being remanded eight and 10 times. As a result, Legal Aid only pays travel time and costs for private bar lawyers travelling to remote communities when the duty counsel is overbooked. Therefore, most of the defence work carried out in remote communities is conducted by Legal Aid staff lawyers. The Court of Queen’s Bench hears the most serious of criminal cases and sits with a judge and jury or a judge alone. The Provincial Court hears 95% of all criminal matters and all youth court matters, and sits without a jury. There are numerous offences which start in one court and end up in the other, and there are numerous offences which can be tried entirely in either court, depending on choices made by either the Crown or the defence.
Your career is important to you and if the body that governs your profession has accused you of violating its regulations, you deserve a vigorous defence. We will develop a deep understanding of your case, and represent you at any disciplinary hearings or other meetings with your college, institute, or association. If you have been accused of misconduct by the college, institute, or association regulating your profession, contact us at any time of day or night. Court processes for these types of offences may be less complicated, or more so, depending on the statute, and the penalties can still be quite severe.

Having heard from stakeholders and partners across the country, the Minister has shifted this initiative from one of review to one of transformation of the criminal justice system. There is no question that a review of the criminal justice system is necessary and long overdue. Systemic change cannot be completed in one mandate, but I am convinced this review can provide the foundation for addressing some of the most challenging issues facing the criminal justice system today. Other charges were dismissed as part of an agreement that spared victims from testifying at trial, though five people gave victim-impact statements in court, the attorney general’s office said. Cuba Gooding Jr. was sued on Wednesday by two women whose sexual assault cases against the Oscar-winning actor underlay a criminal prosecution that ended with him pleading guilty but serving no jail time.
The Crown then has an option to re-prosecute, launch a new trial but enter no evidence, withdraw the charge or stay proceedings. V. Donald Marshall, little credence had been given to the notion that serious miscarriages of justice take place at all in Canada, let alone that dozens of innocent people might be languishing behind bars. In the wake of Marshall’s exoneration, more than 20 convicted murderers have been freed on the basis of serious doubts about the reliability of evidence and trial fairness in their cases. Lawyers who act for the federal, provincial and territorial governments and prosecute people accused of crimes on behalf of the Crown. It is important to note that the minister of justice and attorney general for Manitoba cannot change a court decision. A court decision can only be changed by an appeal to a higher court.