The appellant was convicted of murder after a trial where the jury became deadlocked.
During an exhortation to the deadlocked jury, the trial judge offered his opinion that the Crown had a very powerful case if the jury accepted a police officer's evidence.
The Supreme Court of Canada held that a trial judge should generally refrain from offering opinions on issues of fact during an exhortation to a deadlocked jury, as it may prejudicially influence the jury's deliberative process.
The appeal was allowed and a new trial ordered.
