UPDATE: APTN News reports that Justice Minister David Lametti believes there may have been a miscarriage of justice for the Quewezance sisters. The case has been sent for investigation within the convictions review process. (1:45PM)
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Indigenous advocates are calling on the federal Justice Minister to issue a retrial for two Saskatchewan sisters convicted for killing a Kamsack area farmer in the early 1990’s.
Odelia and Nerissa Quewezance have maintained their innocence in the 1993 homicide of Anothony Joseph Dolf. They were convicted of second-degree murder in 1994.
“I’m asking to be free today. I’m asking to be free. Because I know in my heart, I did not kill Mr. Dolf. I’m sorry that happened. My sister’s still suffering in prison and she doesn’t deserve that. And I don’t deserve it,” Odelia said at a press conference today.
APTN News did an extensive investigative story into the Quewezance sisters, where their cousin Jason Keshane confessed to being the killer. APTN reports that Odelia 21, Nerissa, 19 and Keshane 14 were partying at Dolf’s farmhouse on the outskirts of the Keeseekoose First Nation in Feb. 1993. It’s alleged that Dolf propositioned the sisters. The situation turned violent and Dolf would die that night. Keshane admitted in court to the killing.
“The purpose of today is to ask the Minister to get a move on to get on with it. Nerissa was 18 when she was arrested, she’s now 48 and still in jail. Odelia was 20. She’s now 50. The two sisters need their lives back. And hopefully today will just be a step in that direction,” said James Lockyer, an attorney with Innocence Canada.
Lockyer raises questions of institutional racism in the justice system, suggesting if the sisters were Caucasian, they may have received different treatment. Lockyer explains that Odelia recently received day-parole, while Nerissa was denied parole and is incarcerated in a BC prison.
“Back in November of last year, one of the first things that I did for Innocence Canada was ask Saskatchewan Justice to join me in asking the Minister of Justice to set aside or quash the convictions of the two sisters. Four months later, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Saskatchewan Justice writes and says in one sentence, the Crown does not see a basis to reconsider the verdicts of the sisters. So, the Ministry of Justice and Saskatchewan continue to fail the two sisters, and their fate now is in Minister Lametti’s hands,” said Lockyer.
(A screenshot of Odelia Quewezance)