Former Quebec judge Jacques Delisle pleads guilty to manslaughter
Former Quebec judge Jacques Delisle pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter in the death of his wife in 2009.
Delisle, who is believed to be the first Canadian judge to ever stand trial for murder, was convicted in 2012 of fatally shooting his wife, Marie Nicole Rainville.
The verdict was largely based on the testimony of a pathologist who said that the bullet's trajectory through the victim's brain made it difficult to support a theory of suicide.
Delisle was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
The 88-year-old former Quebec Court of Appeal judge spent nine years behind bars before then-federal justice minister David Lametti ordered a new trial in 2021 after reviewing evidence and concluding a miscarriage of justice had likely occurred.
Delisle's lawyers successfully argued in April 2022 that a retrial would be impossible because of errors in the previous pathology report and unreasonable delays.
However, the Court of Appeal reversed the decision to grant a stay and paved the way for a new trial.
The Supreme Court of Canada was expected to decide on Thursday whether it would hear Delisle's appeal of that decision.
'Took her own life'
Rainville's death follows a 2007 stroke that left her paralyzed on one side. She was also recovering from a broken hip.
Delisle's original version of events stated that his wife was depressed and took her own life using a gun found next to her body.
Thursday, Crown prosecutor François Godin insisted there was still a belief that Delisle was an active participant in his wife's death.
However, defence lawyer Jacques Larochelle pointed out that Delisle's children were in the courtroom to support their father.
He reiterated that Rainville had apparently expressed a desire to die due to her inability to care for herself.
Larochelle claims she convinced Delisle to leave his loaded .22 gun next to her.
In response to Delisle's guilty plea, the Crown had suggested a sentence of eight years and 311 days minus eight years and 310 days, considering his age and the time already spent in prison.
That would leave one day of detention.
Meanwhile, the defence argued that though Delisle was "negligent" in leaving a loaded weapon next to a suicidal person, the time served is "more than sufficient."
Thursday morning, the judge agreed that the Crown's suggestion was considered justice for the crime committed.
Delisle will serve one more day to complete his sentence.
He has been banned from owning firearms and must provide a DNA sample to Quebec City police (SPVQ).
-- with files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.