Vetrovec Warning

Protecting the Accused from Wrongful Convictions R v Riley: the SCC’s Stance on Convictions after Incorrect Use of the Vetrovec Instruction

What happens to the accused when a jury is incorrectly advised, leading to the accused’s conviction? The Supreme Court of Canada (“SCC”) addresses this question in R v Riley, 2020 SCC 31 [Riley] by reaffirming the dissenting judge's reasons at the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal assessing the Vetrovec instruction and its significance within the […]

In Juries We Trust: R v Magno

The Ontario Court of Appeal (“Court of Appeal”) decision in R v Magno, 2015 ONCA 111 [Magno], affirmed the law surrounding judges’ Vetrovec warnings in cases where co-conspirators serve as both witnesses against an accused and as independent corroboration for one another’s testimony.  The appellant (“Magno”) appealed from trial convictions on charges of conspiracy, arson […]