An Ontario man’s decades-old conviction in the tragic killing of a 10-year-old girl has been overturned, sparking hope for a new outcome in the case. James Lockyer, the lawyer representing Timothy Rees, anticipates clarity on the next steps by the year’s end.
Lockyer reveals that Rees’s legal team is aiming to secure a Superior Court date next month to deliberate on potential avenues forward, which could include the possibility of a new trial. Ultimately, the decision to proceed lies with the Crown, and it’s not uncommon for prosecutors to opt against pursuing a retrial in such circumstances.
While the Crown could choose to retry the case, Lockyer expresses optimism that an acquittal might be on the horizon for Rees. The recent ruling by the Court of Appeal for Ontario deemed a miscarriage of justice had occurred in Rees’s initial conviction for the 1989 murder of Darla Thurrott, leading to the order for a fresh trial.
Rees had been convicted of second-degree murder in 1990 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for 15 years. However, the case resurfaced after new evidence emerged, prompting a reevaluation of his conviction. The focal point of the latest legal challenge revolved around a crucial recording of a conversation between a police officer and the landlord of the residence where the victim and her family resided, information that had not been disclosed during the original trial.
The Court’s decision highlighted that withholding this key piece of evidence had compromised the trial’s fairness by impeding the defense’s ability to explore alternative suspects. As the legal proceedings unfold, the prospect of a potential acquittal for Rees remains a beacon of hope in his quest for justice.