Police chief in N.B. orders review of force’s involvement in wrongful murder conviction

The chief of the Saint John Police has ordered a review of the force’s involvement in the 1984 murder convictions of two New Brunswick men who later had their convictions overturned and were officially acquitted this month. 

Walter Gillespie, 80, and Robert Mailman, 76, were convicted in the Nov. 30, 1983, killing of George Gilman Leeman.

Chief Robert Bruce released a statement Friday, saying he was “concerned about the outcome” of the not guilty verdict, “in particular, the role of the Saint John Police in the original investigation and prosecution.”

Bruce said he will conduct a “comprehensive review” and has sent a letter to the federal Minister of Justice to request a complete copy of their report on the case.

“I have also commissioned Allen Farrah of Clear-Path Solutions, Inc., a retired senior officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who has extensive knowledge, diversity and experience in policing, to carry out an independent review solely focused on the investigation of the Saint John Police in this case, and to whom I extend the full cooperation of the Saint John Police,” he said in the statement.

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Bruce added he would not be commenting further pending the outcome of the review.

Both Mailman and Gillespie have always maintained their innocence and have been on parole for about 20 years.

Mailman served 18 years of his life sentence in prison, while Gillespie served 21.

Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani quashed the two second-degree murder convictions last month, saying there was reasonable basis to conclude that a miscarriage of justice likely occurred.

Innocence Canada, an organization that advocates for the wrongfully accused that took up the men’s case, have been critical of how Saint John Police investigated the original crime — saying that there were recanting witnesses and that the men had strong alibis at the time of the killing.

“The Saint John Police Force have a lot to answer for in my view, a lot,” said James Lockyer, a founding director with Innocence Canada, on Jan. 4 outside the courtroom where Mailman and Gillespie were formally found not guilty.

“They got a lot to answer for. It’s a disgrace.”

Mailman has a terminal cancer diagnosis and was given just months to live.

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