‘Tunnel vision’ of police blamed for wrongful murder conviction of 2 N.B. men

Police in New Brunswick say “tunnel vision” was the main shortfall of an investigation in the 1980s that led to the wrongful conviction of two men who spent years in prison for a murder they didn’t commit.

The Saint John Police Force released an independent review Friday, saying investigators at the time did not have the tools they have now.

“(Tunnel vision) refers to a narrow focus that distorts the interpretation of evidence,” Saint John police Chief Robert Bruce told a news conference. “It is not based on ill-intent, but does influence an objective assessment of the facts.”

Robert Mailman and Walter Gillespie were convicted of a 1983 murder in Saint John and exonerated in January 2024 after a court ruled they had been victims of a miscarriage of justice.

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Gillespie spent 21 years in prison. He died last April at age 80, months after he was exonerated. Mailman, who spent 18 years in prison, turns 77 later this month. He recently returned to his home after being treated for pneumonia in hospital.

2:06 N.B. wrongful conviction case raises questions about non-disclosure evidence

“If the Saint John police would acknowledge their mistakes and make the full report public, I would be satisfied,” Mailman said Friday in a brief statement.

The report released Friday was a summary of the review conducted by a retired senior member of the RCMP. Bruce said the report does not include redacted elements such as confidential information about witnesses.

Bruce said the original investigation was influenced by “historical factors no longer present in modern day policing practices.”

He said there has been significant changes in the law, and he referred to new policies governing law enforcement, advancements in technology and increased checks and balances.

“This report also noted that modern investigative practices provide safeguards against similar failure,” Bruce said. “We echo the Court of King’s Bench in expressing our profound regret to Mr. Mailman and Mr. Gillespie.”