Emails exchanged between James Coffin and Clément Fortin about the request to the Prime Minister for his dad's pardon

Emails exchanged between James Coffin and Clément Fortin about the request to the Prime Minister for his dad's pardon

From: FORTIN

Sent: Monday, June 15, 2015 1:40 AM

To: james coffin

Subject: Re: Request to the Prime Minister Harper for your dad's pardon

 

 

Saint-Sauveur, 15 June 2015

Hello Jimmy,

You must understand the meaning of the word pardon. The advanced Oxford dictionary proposes this definition: A cancellation of the legal consequences of an offence or conviction.

Your must also understand that it is, in my opinion, impossible to clear your dad’s name because key witnesses have passed away. Moreover, if AIDWYC had foreseen a chance to do so, it would not have dropped your father’s case.

Furthermore, you may rest assured it never crossed my mind that you were seeking compensation in claiming your dad’s name should be cleared.

In its investigation, the Brossard Commission even went to the Gaspé Peninsula to hear all those who had something to say about your dad’s case. Curiously enough, those in the Gaspé Peninsula, who are still gossiping about your dad’s affair, did not take the opportunity to show up before the Brossard Commission and empty their bag. Some people seem to have a hard time facing the truth being obviously more comfortable with gossips. It gives them a sense of power to pretend to know the truth whereas all those around them ignore it. I am writing my fifth book on judicial affairs and always observe the same phenomenon

Here is what I have written in the AFTERWORD of my latest docu-novel about your dad's court  transcripts: (I translate) I was permitted to peruse the transcripts of the testimonies heard by the Brossard Commission except for 500 pages that were behind closed doors.  At Library and Archives Canada, I was permitted to read most of those transcripts and police reports. Overall, I read some 20 000 pages of your dad's trial, namely the transcripts of the Coroner’s inquest, the preliminary inquest, the jury trial before the Superior Court, the judgments of the Québec Court of Appeal and of the Supreme Court of Canada. And of course, the Brossard Report that I translated into English and posted on my blog. I was satisfied that those 500 hundred pages had no impact on the conclusions of the Brossard Commission. The witnesses who testified before the Brossard Commission requested, in their own right, from Justice Brossard to be heard behind closed doors. Moreover, if you read between the lines the Brossard report, you get a pretty good idea of what you would find in those inaccessible transcripts. In my opinion, it has no  bearing on whether Wilbert Coffin is guilty or not guilty.

As a lawyer, I engaged my professional responsibility in your dad’s affair. I could not have done more than if it had been for my own father.

You may read what I wrote on my blog in 2008 and 2010:

http://fortinclement.blogspot.ca/2008/10/in-order-to-find-ones-way-in-this.html

http://fortinclement.blogspot.ca/2010/01/le-huis-clos-une-excuse-dans-laffaire.html

 

After having studied this affair since 2005, I now close my file with the satisfaction of having done the best I could to obtain my Gaspe countryman’s pardon.

 

With my best regards,

 

Clément Fortin, retired lawyer and writer

http://fortinclement.blogspot.com

 

 

From: jimca1 mail

Sent: Saturday, June 13, 2015 11:27 AM

To: Clément Fortin

Subject: Re: Request to the Prime Minister Harper for your dad's pardon

 

Hi Clement

 

I thank you for taking an interest in my dad’s case. As you know you were not the first nor will you be the last we get people coming to check his case every few years and i’m sure there will be even more till the year 2065. For me the government has something to hide Why do I believe this why else would they lock the files on his case it must be something very important even the FBI only seal there cases for 50years  so why is the Canadian government  saying my dad is more important than president I’m not looking to make money off my dad’s case I would just like to see his name cleared before I die Its been very hard at time and still is being the son of a murder Until his name is cleared which you know will happen in time I maybe dead but there is still grand kids who will help clear and be there when his name is cleared Again thank you for your interest and all the best to you

 

James Coffin

 

June 13 20015

 

Sent from Windows Mail

 

From: Clément Fortin
Sent: ‎Friday‎, ‎June‎ ‎05‎, ‎2015 ‎10‎:‎19‎ ‎PM
To: jimca1 mail

 

Hi Jimmy,

Here is what I will post on my blog as a final step in the Coffin Affair.

Best regards,

Clément

 

As a last step in the Coffin Affair, I post the emails, Jimmy Coffin and I exchanged about my request to Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his dad’s pardon.

As you may find out in reading Jimmy’s emails, he does not want to support my request to Mr. Harper. I respect his decision.

For me, Mr. Harper was the last resort in this matter. As I said to Jimmy, I am closing this file with the satisfaction of having done the utmost while  AIDWYC and the Criminal Conviction Review Group have abandoned the case a long time ago.

Being born in the Gaspé Peninsula, I would have liked my fellow countryman Wilbert Coffin being granted posthumus pardon for the reasons I mentioned in my request to Mr. Harper. In my mind it would have been an honorable ending.

Surely, sooner or later someone else will revisit the Coffin Affair. I want those who will engage in this process to realize that I have done all that it was in my power.

So, sadly, I close my file.

Clément Fortin, retired attorney at law and writer

Saint-Sauveur, June 6th, 20015