A new trial has been ordered for a man convicted of a 1973 murder in Winnipeg.
The Manitoba Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction of 73-year-old Thomas Sophonow, who was found guilty of the murder of 16-year-old Barbara Stoppel in a Winnipeg doughnut shop.
The decision was made after new evidence was presented, including DNA evidence that was not available at the time of the original trial.
Sophonow has maintained his innocence since his arrest in 1981 and has spent a total of 4,358 days in prison.
The Court of Appeal stated that the new evidence “could reasonably be expected to have affected the verdict” and that Sophonow’s conviction was a “miscarriage of justice.”
The Crown has not yet decided whether to proceed with a new trial, but Sophonow’s lawyer, Hersh Wolch, believes that the case will not be retried.
Wolch also stated that Sophonow is “elated” with the decision and that he has been “vindicated after all these years.”
The case has been a long and complicated one, with Sophonow being convicted three times for the same crime.
In 1981, he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. However, the conviction was overturned on appeal due to a lack of evidence.
In 1985, he was convicted again, but the Manitoba Court of Appeal ordered a new trial due to issues with the jury selection process.
Finally, in 1986, Sophonow was convicted for a third time and sentenced to life in prison.
Throughout the years, Sophonow has maintained his innocence and has fought tirelessly to clear his name.
Now, with the new evidence presented, it seems that justice may finally be served for Thomas Sophonow.
