An important new decision that came out of the Alberta Court of Appeals (R v Ryon, 2019 ABCA 36) can not only reduce wrongful convictions, but it can also free some of the wrongly convicted and jailed (if appellate lawyers know about it). This video will illustrate just how difficult it is not only for juries to know what to do, but also judges when it comes to reaching the correct verdict for the innocent accused and factually innocent when using what's known as the WD test. As a non-lawyer I try to break it down for you in the video below.

I was recently invited for an interview by Honey Badger Radio's Doge in Charge, Brian Martinez. We had an in depth conversation about feminism in the legal system, false accusations and the MeToo movement. The full interview is in the video below. Watch all the way through to learn what shocked viewers the most.

Both the accused and the complainant admitted to consensual heavy petting while on a cot, high on drugs  inside of a tent after having met at an outdoor music festival. The woman claimed she said 'no' to penetration, but that when he positioned himself on top of her he did not stop and briefly penetrated her before stopping. The man's defense was that he did not penetrate her at all and did indeed stop when she said 'no'. His conviction was overturned on the basis that the trial judge did not properly apply the credibility assessment when using the W(D) test to the plausibility of both claims. My discussion on this case is in the video below.

It is better that some innocent men remain in jail than that the integrity of the Canadian judicial system be impugned. I adapt this quote from the same quote referring to English law by the English lawyer, Lord Denning. Lord Denning, out of concern for a discourse within the English justice system, adapted this from Benjamin Franklin’s original and proper quote, “That it is better 100 guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer”. As typical with today’s Social Justice Warrior complaints, there were comments or words taken out of context in the case at the heart of the Judge Robin Camp controversy. This controversy revolves around bringing the Canadian justice system into disrepute. However it is the feminist social justice warriors of the ‘scholarly’ kind that are worried about their ideology not convicting enough men.

There is much discussion and debate about the true prevalence of sexual assault in Canada. Statistics are often cited that look like this:

• 1 in 3 women around the world will be raped in her lifetime
• 1 in 4 women will be raped before graduating from college
  
• 1 in 4 North American women will be sexually assaulted during their lifetime
• 1 in 5 women reported experiencing rape at some point in their life
  Etc., etc...
  

So Which Statistic is Accurate?