Goudge Inquiry Incomplete

September 28, 2008 permalink

The Goudge Inquiry is scheduled to issue its final report on October 1. It will cover the period from 1991 to 2001, leaving out incidents before that period. Persons harmed by the testimony of Dr Charles Smith before 1991 will get no relief. Because Harold Levy is a professional journalist, we assume the letter below is authentic, though the aggrieved party is not named.

expand

collapse

In 1988 I was convicted of manslaughter because of the crown testimony of Dr. Smith.

It was his testimony alone which convicted me of an infant shaking death and I was sentenced to 4 years in prison," the letter continues.

This was at the age of 25. My life utterly changed. I have carried this weight my whole adult life and it has caused me more grief than I can ever put to words.

I am in the dark as to whether my case, as it occurred before the time period the Goudge inquiry was looking in to, will ever be looked at.

I believe that there needs to be a much broader look at his earlier cases and I also believe this responsibility should not rest with those who may have been wrongfully convicted because of his faulty expert testimony.

It is my fear that this will all die down and people like me will be forgotten.

I also believe that "sorry" is not even close to enough.

Personally, I had to leave the area I was raised in, was never able to finish University and have no idea what my life might have been like if not for this man.

I am one person and I fear there are many many more like me.

This can of worms comes in bulk size.

Source: Harold Levy blog for September 28, 2008