Defence lawyer James Lockyer is seeking the conditional release of Nerissa and Odelia Quewezance. The sisters were convicted of murder at a Yorkton, Sask., courthouse in 1994 where they both received life sentences. Both have always maintained their innocence.
They were convicted of killing James Dolff at his house near Kamsack, Sask., in 1993.
Now, with a federal review of their case underway, a two-day bail hearing began on Jan. 17, at the Court of Kings Bench in Yorkton.
“Me and my sister shouldn’t be sitting here another day,” said Odelia. “This should be reconciliation today. I want to believe in my heart that everything’s going (to) work out … I just keep praying every day for this.”
“Unfortunately, it took almost three decades to get to this stage and here we are today,” said Canadian senator and advocate for the sisters, Kim Pate. “I doubt that we will see (a decision) today just because the judge wants to consider all of the evidence and we want him to do that job. It would be wonderful if we got a decision today particularly if it was a positive decision because these women have been waiting a long time.”
The Federation of Indigenous Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Vice-Chief Aly Bear also testified for the defense on Monday in support of the Quewezance sisters. In a FSIN release, she stated the case is “heartbreaking” especially to see Odelia’s children in court and learn of their childhood without their mother.
“It’s just another example of how First Nations women’s voices are being silenced by a racist, patriarchal justice system,” said VC Bear. “They have served 30 years of hard time for a crime they did not commit. The facts of the case show the women deserve more than bail, they deserve exoneration for this crime and retribution for the miscarriage of justice.”
Kaip questioned the Quewezance sisters about their criminal records both before and since that murder conviction. Lockyer questioned the sisters on the efforts they’ve made to deal with challenges like the use of drugs and alcohol which they said they have struggled with since their conviction.
The sisters say they didn’t even witness the murder of James Dolff in 1993. The ministerial review of their case has commenced in part because their cousin, who was a youth at the time, has since confessed to the killing and received a four-year sentence for second-degree murder.
Presiding over the hearing is Justice Donald Layh who stressed multiple times that his decision will be based on specific criteria which include the value of the potential release of the Quewezance sisters to the Saskatchewan public.
Global News will bring you more details when they become available.
– with files from Connor O’Donovan.