The Senior Times Online

Compensate Truscott

for wrongful conviction

The conviction of Steven Truscott for the 1959 murder of 12-year-old Lynne Harper was a miscarriage of justice.

Last month the Ontario Court of Appeal, in a unanimous ruling, acquitted Truscott, though it fell short of concluding that Truscott is “factually innocent.” Be that as it may, Truscott, now 62, deserves compensation for the 10 years he spent in penitentiary after his death sentence, at age 14, was commuted to life in prison. As various books, notably Until You Are Dead (Knopf Canada) by Julian Sher, have demonstrated, evidence was neglected and witnesses who could have cleared Truscott were ignored.

Under today’s procedures he would never have been convicted. Since witnesses are dead and given the passage of time, a new trial or even an inquiry would likely be inconclusive, However, we urge a retired judge looking into compensation to recommend a substantial sum, given Truscott's ten lost years and a life lived under a dark cloud.