Girouard's Murder Conviction Overturned

0:00It's March 31st. This is Canada News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Quebec's Court of Appeal just tossed out the conviction of Carl's Reward for that brutal sword attack on Halloween night in 2020. He killed two people and wounded five others in Quebec City, originally getting hit with two first-degree murders and five attempted murders back in. 2022, landing a life sentence with no parole for 25 years. The problem came down to the trial judge, not clearly telling the jury they couldn't hold your word silenced during police, questioning against him. His defense admitted he did the acts, but pushed that a mental disorder made him not criminally responsible. That Halloween rampage hit hard in the historic quarter near the Chateau Frontenac, claiming a 56-year-old museum employee, and a. 61-year-old hairdresser among the dead, with five more survivors, scarred for life. Police and the community still real from the random street attacks. Appeal judges ruled the jury instructions were off, saying the trial needed a specific

1:03warning that silence means nothing on guilt. They agreed the Crown leaned too hard on that quiet interrogation to prove he knew right from wrong. Now GERARD faces a fresh trial, keeping this nightmare case alive as courts aim to get the call right on intent and responsibility.