Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall, Jr., Prosecution
1986-1990
5.4 m of textual records and other material
The Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall, Jr., Prosecution was struck by Order in Council on 28 October 1986. Chief Justice T. Alexander Hickman (chair), Chief Justice Lawrence A. Poitras and the Hon. Gregory Thomas Evans, QC were appointed commissioners. The commission was mandated to inquire into, report on, and make recommendations respecting the death of William Sandford Seale on 28-29 May 1971; the prosecution of Donald Marshall, Jr., for the murder of Seale and his subsequent wrongful conviction and imprisonment. The commission discharged its mandate through a broad inquiry into the Nova Scotia justice system, including the latter's treatment of visible minorities and the role within the system of police and politicians. The commission held extensive public hearings in Sydney and Halifax in 1987-1988, accepting presentations from 114 witnesses and 176 exhibits. A consultative conference of invited experts was also held at the conclusion of the hearings. The commission completed its work in December 1989.
Fonds consists of official records of the commission. Fonds consists of six series: Exhibits; Transcripts; Submissions; Correspondence; Counsel notebooks and other material; and Lists and indices.
Also known as Hickman Commission; Marshall Inquiry.
Transferred by the Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall, Jr., Prosecution in 1989-1990.
Series descriptions available.
Related records in the Royal Commission on the Adequacy of Compensation Paid to Donald Marshall, Jr., fonds (see RG 44 vol. 270-271).
Commission's seven-volume report (v. 1 "Commissioner's Report: Findings and Recommendations"; v. 2 "Public
Policing in Nova Scotia"; v. 3 "The Mi'kmaq and Criminal Justice in Nova Scotia", v. 4 "Discrimination Against Blacks in Nova Scotia: The Criminal Justice System: a research study"; v. 5 "Walking the Tightrope of Justice: an examination of the Office of the Attorney General; v. 6 "Prosecuting Officers and the Administration of Justice in Nova Scotia: a research study" and v. 7 "Consultative Conference, November 24-26, 1988: edited transcript of proceedings") is in NSARM Library: NSARM call no.: KEN 7970 N935 R888 1989.
Materials have been selected from Royal Commission on the Donald Marshall, Jr., Prosecution.
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