Canadian man finally cleared after 48 years

Steven Truscott was 14 years old in 1959 when he was sentenced to death for allegedly killing a 12-year-old classmate in Ontario, making him the youngest man ever sentenced to die in Canada. His death sentence was commuted to life shortly after his conviction and he was released in 1969 amid questions of his guilt. The conviction has stood, however, until today, when Ontario’s highest court overturned his convction and called his case a "miscarriage of justice."

Truscott told police at the time of the crime that he lent his bicycle to the victim and then saw her get into a car. His appeals for DNA testing failed because evidence was destroyed, and it was other evidence – including indications that Truscott was in school at the time of the victim’s death – that led to his exoneration.

"I never in my wildest dreams expected that in my lifetime this would come true," said Mr. Truscott at a press conference held after the acquittal was announced.

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. (The Globe and Mail, 08/28/2007)