Manitoba Justice decision not to appeal ‘poetic justice’: Wilma Derksen

The mother of murdered teen Candace Derksen responded to Wednesday’s announcement by the prosecution that they will not appeal the acquittal of her daughter’s accused killer.

Manitoba Justice issued a statement Nov. 8 saying they would not be pursuing an appeal in the October acquittal of Mark Edward Grant.

READ MORE: Crown decides not to appeal acquittal of Mark Grant

Wilma Derksen said in her online blog entitled letting go Thursday, that while many people might argue the Crown’s decision means there will be no justice for Candace, the fact that the ordeal is finally over is a ‘kind of poetic justice’.

“I have to admit that I’ve been worried these last few weeks that a decision to appeal might plunge us back into the process- that never-ending process,” Derksen said.

“I’ve been actually quite stressed – not fully able to enjoy the sense of freedom for fear it might be taken away. I haven’t even been able to write.  Yesterday the Crown announced that they had decided not to appeal the acquittal of Mark Edward Grant. Euphoria! It’s over. I am free,” Derksen shared.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I've been actually quite stressed - not fully able to enjoy the sense of freedom for fear it might be taken away. I haven't even been able to write.  Yesterday the Crown announced that they had decided not to appeal the acquittal of Mark Edward Grant. Euphoria! It's over. I am free," Derksen shared.

Derksen said in her blog that in the beginning, she felt a great deal of anger, that the death penalty wasn’t even enough for the person who killed her daughter. But now, after all the years and all the court proceedings, she is ready to let go.

“I’m not sure I was completely convinced until we were in the room and the Crowns confirmed it. (I can be quite thick at times.) They confirmed that the accused had been indeed acquitted and that he was now a  “free” man, who would be released to roam the streets of Winnipeg as soon as he was “processed” –  probably that evening. Then slowly – very slowly as the words began to sink in I began to feel this surge of my own freedom. It was as if a huge weight – that I didn’t even know was there – was being lifted off of my shoulders!
It kept lifting as I began to imagine a life with out another “court due date”  – as I imagined a life without having to answer for a convicted criminal – and on and on the issues that I hadn’t even realized were weighing me down – lifted off,” Derksen wrote.