Wrongfully Convicted Man Dies After His Name Was Cleared

TLDRAfter spending 21 years in prison, Walter Gillespie, a wrongfully convicted man from New Brunswick, has died at the age of 80, just three months after his name was cleared. Gillespie and his friend Robert Mailan were convicted in the 1983 murder of a St. John man. However, a judge acquitted both men of the conviction in January. Gillespie spent decades trying to clear his name, and his passing has brought sadness to those who worked closely with him.

Key insights

🔓Walter Gillespie, a wrongfully convicted man, has died at the age of 80, just months after his name was cleared.

⚖️Gillespie and his friend Robert Mailan were convicted in the 1983 murder of a St. John man, but a judge acquitted both of them in January.

💔Gillespie spent 21 years in prison and decades trying to clear his name, carrying the weight of suspicion and serving parole even after his release.

🕰️The justice system took an enormous amount of time to rectify the wrongful convictions, with Gillespie and Mailan only having their convictions overturned in January.

🙏Despite the difficulties, Gillespie remained a faithful friend to Mailan, standing by his convictions and sacrificing his freedom for 40 years.

Q&A

How long did Walter Gillespie spend in prison?

—Walter Gillespie spent 21 years in prison before his name was cleared.

What happened in January regarding Gillespie's case?

—In January, a judge acquitted Gillespie and his friend, Robert Mailan, of the murder conviction that led to their wrongful imprisonment.

How long did it take for Gillespie and Mailan to have their convictions overturned?

—Gillespie and Mailan had their convictions overturned in January, 40 years after they were first convicted.

How did Gillespie feel after being exonerated?

—After 40 years of living under the cloud of suspicion and serving time in prison and on parole, Gillespie and Mailan were overwhelmed and relieved by their exoneration.

What was Gillespie's legacy?

—Gillespie's legacy was that of a faithful friend, who stood by Mailan's side and refused to compromise on their innocence for 40 years, sacrificing his own freedom.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Walter Gillespie, a wrongfully convicted man from New Brunswick, has died at the age of 80, just three months after his name was cleared.

00:09Gillespie and his friend Robert Mailan were convicted in the 1983 murder of a St. John man.

00:16A judge acquitted both men of the conviction in January after Gillespie spent 21 years in prison.

01:42Gillespie and Mailan first met Ron Dalton, president of Innocence Canada, 35 years ago.

02:00In 2018, a formal application was filed with the federal Justice Minister, leading to the case being referred back to the New Brunswick Court of King's bench.

02:18On January 4th of this year, Gillespie and Mailan had their convictions overturned.

03:36Gillespie and Mailan felt overwhelmed and relieved after 40 years of living under suspicion and serving time in prison and on parole.

04:18Gillespie's legacy is that of a faithful friend, who stood by Mailan's side for 40 years, refusing to compromise on their innocence.

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