This page contains a form to search the supreme court of canada case information database. Lebourdais examines how this guilt by association led to its almost. Steven truscott and the murder of 12year old lynne harper is a newly published book that presents all the facts in this case, including the crime, the jury trial, the first appeal rejection, the 8 to 1 ruling against truscott by the supreme court of canada, the books proclaiming truscotts innocence, the ontario court of appeal, and the. After 15day trial, a jury finds truscott guilty and he is sentenced to death. Lynne harpers family speaks out on truscott the globe. Toronto, montreal, mcclelland and stewart 1966 ocolc655519285. See all 5 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The book attacked the rapid police investigation and trial, calling into question a justice system that many people then considered infallible.
Although they have received compensation for this miscarriage of justice, truscott and his family will never regain all the emotional stress. Jan 15, 2015 it was a hot, muggy evening in 1959 when 14yearold steven truscott gave his schoolmate lynn harper a ride on his bicycle near an air force base outside clinton, ontario. If steven truscott didnt kill lynne harper, who did. Truscott may have faded from public consciousness if journalist isabel le bourdais had not published her book on his case in 1966. Six years later, author isabel lebourdais published a book entitled the trial of steven truscott, which was highly critical of the police investigation and trial process that had led to stevens conviction. The trial of isabel lebourdais macleans june 4 1966. The trial of steven truscott made a detailed case for the young man having been railroaded by careless police officers and a vindictive prosecution. Sentenced to death truscott became the youngest person to sit on canadas death row. The trial of steven truscott isabel le bourdais on. Jan 29, 2007 at truscott s 1959 trial, penistan was portrayed as highly credible in part because he was an attorney generals pathologist, but truscott s lawyers contend his three reports paint a different. Imagine being a 14 yearold boy who takes a classmate on a bike ride. You can search by the scc 5digit case number, by name or word in the style of cause, or by file number from the appeal court.
The trial of steven truscott hardcover january 1, 1966 by isabel le bourdais author 4. Truscott witness lied, court told the globe and mail. Jan 30, 2007 truscott has been on death row for four months. The trial of steven truscott by isabel lebourdais goodreads. As a producer at cbc tvs the fifth estate, julian sher spent two years investigating the steven truscott story for an explosive. Truscott asked her to meet him in lawsons bush, a wooded area near clinton, ont. Sep 29, 2007 some years ago i bought a secondhand copy of a book called the trial of steven truscott by isabel lebourdais. Amazon price new from used from hardcover please retry. Sep 12, 2010 steven truscott and the murder of 12year old lynne harper is a newly published book that presents all the facts in this case, including the crime, the jury trial, the first appeal rejection, the 8 to 1 ruling against truscott by the supreme court of canada, the books proclaiming truscotts innocence, the ontario court of appeal, and the. Perhaps no book and its author have ever received a more astonishing reception in this country than that recently given the trial of steven truscott and. Both the book and the cbc argued that the investigation and trial were deeply flawed.
Oct 03, 2012 steven truscott was convicted of killing twelve year old lynne harper on june 9, 1959 in clinton ontario and sentenced to hang. Truscott asked her to meet him in lawsons bush, a wooded area. When it hit store shelves on march 24, 1966, the 240page volume touched off a maelstrom of controversy among those incensed at how the justice system treated steven. The book catalogued inconsistencies in the crowns case, investigative. Sep 26, 2018 truscott may have faded from public consciousness if journalist isabel le bourdais had not published her book on his case in 1966. January 1966 a toronto journalist, isabel lebourdais, released the book the trial of steven truscott, returning the case to public attention by raising questions about the. In the spring of 1966, a book written by isabel lebourdais the trial of steven truscott attacked the rapid police investigation and trial, calling into question a justice system that many. The trial of steven truscott by isabel lebourdais kirkus. The trial of steven truscott made a detailed case for the young man having. His sentence, as is customary in canada, was subsequently commuted to life imprisonment, and now he is in collins bay penitentiary at kingston. This book was very favorably commented by the canadian news magazine the national in its pieced aired on july 7, 2008.
Before there was donald marshall, david milgaard, guy paul morin, gregory parsons or thomas sophonow, there was stephen truscott. He was only fourteen at the time, living on a forces base with his family. The trial of steven truscott free online research papers. Journalist isabel lebourdais publishes a book called the trial of steven truscott which raises questions about his case. In 1959, a popular schoolboy, just 14 years old, was convicted and sentenced to hang for the rape and murder of his 12yearold classmate. Perhaps no book and its author have ever received a more astonishing reception in this country than that recently given the trial of steven truscott and isabel lebourdais. Lynne harpers family speaks out on truscott the globe and mail.
The book is mentioned at page 504 of julian shers book, but no quotes are provided. Six years ago, steven truscott, a fourteen year old boy with a fine school recorda good sport, reliable, steady, was convicted of the psychotic rapemurder of a schoolmate chiefly on the evidence that he was last seen with her. On april 26, 1966, the government of canada referred the truscott case to the supreme court of. Such was the fate of steven truscott, living with his family on an army base in smalltown ontario in 1959. Thursday october 11, 2001 frances barrick record staff. Steven was therefore able to continue fighting for justice for several decades, rather than being executed for a crime he did not commit.
Truscott s case was the focus of considerable public attention. The trials of steven truscott introduction the acquittal of steven truscott, more than 48 years after his trial and conviction for murder, resolved one of canadas lengthiest miscarriages of justice. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The truscott story has been told a number of times before in true. A new book about steven truscott presents a mountain of new evidence that has never been heard before concerning his controversial 1959 murder conviction, the book s author says. The acquittal of steven truscott some years ago i bought a secondhand copy of a book called the trial of steven truscott by isabel lebourdais. As a producer at cbc tvs the fifth estate, julian sher spent two years investigating the steven truscott story for an explosive documentary. In early 1966, isabel lebourdais argued in the trial of steven truscott that truscott had been convicted of a crime he did not commit, rekindling public debate and interest in the case. Steven murray truscott born january 18, 1945 is a canadian man who was sentenced to death in 1959 for the rape and murder of classmate lynne harper. The trial of steven truscott is a book written by isabel lebourdais, published in 1966, on the trial and conviction of steven truscott for the murder of lynne harper in 1959. In june, 1959 near the small town of clinton in southw. Aug 30, 2007 steven truscott, who was convicted as a teen of raping and murdering 12yearold lynne in 1959, was cleared of the charges tuesday in a unanimous judgment of the ontario court of appeal.
Steven truscott his word against history the fifth. The story falls out of the headlines and becomes yesterdays news until a journalist named isabel lebourdais publishes a book called the trial of steven truscott, the first document to raise serious questions about the case and its outcome. In 1966, a book by journalist isabel lebourdais, the trial of steven truscott, raised serious questions about the verdict. It was a hot, muggy evening in 1959 when 14yearold steven truscott gave his schoolmate lynn harper a ride on his bicycle near an air force base outside clinton, ontario. His trial in 1959 was the most famous and controversial in canadian history. Truscott had been the last person to see her alive. The anniversary of steven truscotts death sentence. At pages 89 of the steven truscott story truscott talks about meeting lynne harper before the bike ride. Lebourdaiss research eventually grew into a book, the trial of steven truscott. This book when it was released played a large part in canadas abolition of the capital punishment, but steven truscotts conviction was upheld. Someone should have been sentenced to death for the murder of lynne harper but it sure as hell should not have been steven truscott. Lynne, as she was known, was the daughter of flying officer leslie harper, a supply officer posted to rcaf station clinton, and. A series of appeals and inquiries since the 60s made it clear that something went terribly wrong. Nov 30, 2019 both the book and the cbc argued that the investigation and trial were deeply flawed.
It prompts the supreme court to reexamine the issue, but the justices. Her book, the story of steven truscott, prompted the canadian supreme court to examine the case a second time. Truscott was moved from to the collins bay penitentiary in kingston, ontario. Aug 28, 2007 journalist isabel lebourdais publishes a book called the trial of steven truscott which raises questions about his case. January 1966 a toronto journalist, isabel lebourdais, released the book the trial of steven truscott, returning the case to public attention by raising questions about the trial and the conviction. His death sentence was eventually commuted to life in prison. Calgary film retells steven truscotts wrongful conviction. Price new from used from unknown binding please retry. In the late 1950s, a shocking murder took place near a royal canadian air force base in southwestern ontario.
At the original trial, then 12yearold jocelyne gaudet said that on june 9, 1959, mr. Penistans conclusions, and of apparent discrepancies with the evidence gathered by ontario provincial police investigators. Jun 29, 2006 at the original trial, then 12yearold jocelyne gaudet said that on june 9, 1959, mr. The trial of steven truscott unknown binding january 1, 1965 5.
Steven truscott trial jury didnt hear all evidence, author contends. In september 1959 in a canadian courtroom, 14yearold steven truscott was found guilty of raping and murdering his classmate 12yearold lynne harper. In 1966, a meticulously researched book was published, the trial of steven truscott, by isabel lebourdais, that asserted a miscarriage of justice had taken place. Six degrees from steven truscott as a child, i scanned the shelves of the library until i finally found the trial of steven truscott, by isobel lebourdais. That summer, canada lost its innocence and the shocking story of steven truscott became imprinted on the nations memory. One of canadas earliest grassroots champions of the wrongly convicted, her 1966 book, the trial of steven truscott the first to raise questions about the prosecution. Four months after truscotts conviction, the federal cabinet commuted his sentence to life in prison. On april 26, 1966, the government of canada referred the truscott case to the supreme court of canada.
In a lightning fast trial you are convicted and sentenced to death. At truscotts 1959 trial, penistan was portrayed as highly credible in part because he was an attorney generals pathologist, but truscotts. In 1959, at the age of 14, truscott was convicted of the rape and murder of a 12yearold girl. The trial of steven truscott is a book written by isabel lebourdais, published in 1966, on the trial and conviction of steven truscott for the murder of lynne. He was tried in adult court, convicted, and sentenced to hang. In 1960 at the age of 14, steven truscott was sentenced to death for the murder of lynne harper, aged 12yrs. Steven truscott, who was convicted as a teen of raping and murdering 12yearold lynne in 1959, was cleared of the charges tuesday in a. He spent the next 3 years in the guelph training school, and in january 1963 was transferred to the federal penitentiary at kingston, ontario. A fourteenyearold boy, steven truscott, was charged with the crime. The book brought stevens case to the attention of the public and, in 1966, the governor general requested that the supreme court determine whether or not it would have upheld stevens conviction if it had allowed him to appeal the trial courts decision. Six years later, author isabel lebourdais published a book entitled the trial of steven truscott, which was highly critical of the police investigation and trial. The investigation that helped truscott get a new appeal.
In 1966, a book by isabel lebourdais stirred up controversy anew. One noteworthy such case is that of steven truscott, a 14yearold canadian youth. Truscott spent ten years in prison after the federal cabinet commuted his death sentence. Steven truscott his word against history the fifth estate.