Now Playing: All in a Day (Ottawa)03:00 PM to 06:00 PM - EDT Now Playing: Radio 2 Drive03:30 PM to 07:00 PM - EDT Now Playing: Program information temporarily unavailable. Continue reading →

She was his loyal secretary, his faithful friend, his secret lover. But at no point could Johanne Plamondon imagine that her boss and beloved confidant, former Quebec Court of Appeal judge Jacques Delisle, was capable of murdering his ailing wife to share his life with her. In attempting to establish motive for the alleged murder, the prosecution ordered Ms. Plamondon to take the stand on Wednesday and reveal her darkest secrets about an affair and professional relationship with Mr. Delisle that spanned several years. More related to this story Mr. Delisle, 77, who retired from the bench in 2009, is the first Canadian judge to be charged with premeditated murder. At first it was presumed that his wife, 71-year-old Marie-Nicole Rainville, committed suicide after her ... Continue reading →

A former Long Beach high school football star convicted of raping a classmate a decade ago had his conviction dismissed Thursday after his accuser recanted her story. Brian Banks trembled with sobs after a brief hearing in which prosecutors said they had no objection to his conviction being reversed. His mother and girlfriend, seated in the courtroom, let out cries of joy. "My only dream in the world is just to be free," Banks said at a post-hearing news conference, his eyes red from crying, his face frozen in disbelief. Banks was a 17-year-old college football prospect when, in 2002, a classmate accused him of kidnapping and raping her. Banks maintained the sex was consensual, but his lawyer suggested he take a plea deal rather ... Continue reading →

I’m going to lead an Edmonton Journal food tour to Portland, Oregon, in August, and you’re invited to come along. Portland is a food-lovers paradise, a funky city with loads of local food options, and a reputation for premiere micro-breweries as well as some of the finest food-cart fare in North America. The tour is for three days (August 10, 11 and 12) and is timed to coincide with Portland’s popular food and wine festival, Bite of Oregon, held on the lush banks of the Willamette river. Details on the restaurants that we’ll visit while there are yet to be nailed down, but I’m working on it. In the meantime, know that that trip costs $995 per person (based on double occupancy). That price covers ... Continue reading →

The lawyer for John Parker's lethal cellmate says 'there is no way' his client 'should have been put in a cell with anyone.' Part three in a reader-funded inquiry. David Eby, executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association, says the decisions leading up to John Parker's death deserve an inquest. Photo by The Blackbird. Bad politics, weird decisions: a system in need of reform. What's wrong with this picture? Goal is fast justice, better options for offenders. John Parker died more than four years ago, beaten to death in a cell at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam. In the years since then his killer has been tried and convicted. A coroner has investigated Parker's death. And the B.C. Corrections Branch has ... Continue reading →