New trial ordered for Quebec man who spent 33 years in prison for 4 murders

Federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser said he found reasonable grounds to believe there may have been a miscarriage of justice in the case of Daniel Jolivet.

A new trial has been ordered for a Quebec man convicted of four murders in the 1990s, federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser announced Friday.

Fraser said he found reasonable grounds to believe there may have been a miscarriage of justice in the case of Daniel Jolivet.

“As Minister of Justice, I have the authority under the Criminal Code to order a new trial or appeal when new evidence shows a miscarriage of justice likely occurred,” he said in a statement. “My decision does not decide guilt or innocence, as that will rest with the courts.”

Jolivet, now 69, was convicted in 1994 of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. Two men and two women were shot in 1992 in Brossard, Que., in what was believed to be an incident related to a drug settlement.

But the evidence that led to Jolivet’s conviction hinged largely one informant’s testimony. Joliver’s lawyer, Nicholas St-Jacques of Project Innocence Quebec, has disputed the informant’s honesty.

Jolivet succeeded in having the initial verdict overturned on appeal, but it was reinstated by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2000.

In October 2025, the Quebec Crown prosecutor’s office said there was reason to believe that Jolivet did not receive a fair trial and there was new evidence that was not presented at the time of his conviction.

In December 2025, Jolivet was granted bail after spending 33 years behind bars. He was released pending the outcome of a federal review into a possible miscarriage of justice.

In an interview following his release, Jolivet told it was difficult to adjust to a life he hadn’t experienced in over three decades.

“Many things have changed,” he said. “It’s very expensive, I found out. Many things are not the same as they were 33 years ago.”

He said his first trip to the corner store to buy a couple bottles of pop left him in shock.

“I had a king size bed. I was doing the angel on it,” he said. “I slept very good.”

Speaking to reporters Friday, Jolivet said he felt freedom, but was determined to return to the courtroom to hear the judge say “not guilty.”

“I want a new trial, because I want to be found not guilty,” he said. “It’s the better option because everyone will know that I am innocent.”

St-Jacques said the opportunity to be acquitted is very important for Jolivet’s mental health.

“These people have been fighting all their life, often incarcerated, to try to show their innocence. And in the case like Mr. Joliviet, he hasn’t had a fair trial,” he said.

“He’s been fighting for all these years, not only to get back his freedom, but to tell the world that he is not the person who committed the crime.”

Jolivet said he’s looking forward to being able to take care of himself outside of prison.