Final report

Page 6. 2 Background and Terms of Reference for the Committee Background On August 19, 2004 The Forensic Evidence Review Committee presented its final report on the review of all homicide cases from the previous fifteen (15) years in Manitoba in which hair comparison evidence was relied upon to secure a conviction. [...] The following Terms of Reference for the Committee were established: Terms of Reference The Deputy Attorney General of Manitoba has established an advisory committee to examine certain sexual assault, robbery and other cases prosecuted in Manitoba where the Crown relied upon a particular type of forensic evidence. [...] Composition of the Advisory Committee The committee shall consist of a General Counsel from the Manitoba Prosecution Service as Chair; a senior Crown attorney; a lawyer in the private sector in Manitoba designated by the Association in Defence of the Wrongfully Convicted; a representative from each of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Winnipeg Police Service; and a forensic expert unconnec [...] Amongst other issues, the committee shall consider the following factors: - the nature of the microscopic hair evidence tendered in the context of the trial record; - whether, with the benefit of current scientific expertise, the conclusions tendered by the Crown at trial respecting this evidence were incorrect or overstated; - the extent to which the Crown relied upon this evidence to prove the c [...] During the course of its work, the committee, through the Chair, may arrange for DNA or other scientific testing of the evidence to assist the committee during the review.