Department of Justice

MINISTER OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES DECISION ON APPLICATION FOR MERCY BY WILFRED BEAULIEU

OTTAWA, November 25, 1996 -- Allan Rock, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada today announced that he has referred the application of Wilfred Beaulieu under section 690 of the Criminal Code to the Court of Appeal of Alberta for its opinion on the information advanced by Mr. Beaulieu. The Court will determine whether or not the new information warrants either a re-trial or a new appeal for Mr. Beaulieu.

On August 31, 1994, Wilfred Beaulieu applied for a section 690 Criminal Code review of his convictions for sexually assaulting two women on February 2, 1992. Mr. Beaulieu based his application on new information relating to the reliability of the testimony of one of the complainants, including medical records of the complainant. The Minister's representative reviewed the records only after receiving written consent to the release of these records. No consent was sought until the nature of the section 690 process was explained fully to the complainant. She also was made aware of the possibility that the information may become public, and that she may have to testify at a new trial. The complainant had been treated for several years for a psychiatric disorder and this information was not available at trial or appellate levels. The application also was based on a recantation of portions of the trial testimony by the second complainant.

Following an investigation of the application by the Department of Justice, the Minister decided that he will ask the Court of Appeal of Alberta to determine whether the information warrants a new trial or appeal for Mr. Beaulieu.

Section 690 of the Criminal Code provides that a person who has been convicted of an indictable offence and who has exhausted all appeals may apply to the Minister of Justice for a review of his or her conviction.

Background information is attached.

Ref.:    Jennifer Lang        Eugene Williams
         Minister's Office    Department of Justice
         (613) 992-4621       (613) 957-4784