Supreme Court of Canada agrees Nunavut man should be acquitted of murder

The Supreme Court of Canada has restored the acquittal of a Nunavut man who went to trial in 2021 on a charge of second-degree murder.

Daniel Hodgson claimed during that trial that he acted in self-defence when he put Bradley Winsor in a chokehold at a party in Apex, near Iqaluit, in 2017. His intention, he argued, was to restrain Winsor, not kill him. Nunavut Justice Susan Charlesworth acquitted him, ruling there was not enough proof that his intention was to kill.

But the Crown appealed that acquittal, and in 2022, the Nunavut Court of Appeal ordered Hodgson to be retried.

That order has now been overturned.

"Obviously, we're thrilled with the result. But it was the right result," said Michael Lacy, Hodgson's lawyer.

"Now, Dan is vindicated. It's unfortunate that he had to have his case drag on this long, but he's been vindicated and there's no right for the Crown to appeal. The acquittal is now fully restored."

The Supreme Court of Canada issued its unanimous decision Thursday to restore Hodgson's acquittal, but it has not yet made public its reasons for making that decision. Those reasons will be released at a later date, according to Chief Justice of Canada Richard Wagner, who read the decision in court.