Federal justice minister orders new trial for Quebec man convicted of four murders

MONTREAL — Daniel Jolivet says he’s gone through the full spectrum of human emotions since he learned that Justice Minister Sean Fraser has ordered a new trial in his case.

“The crying, the laughter, the trembling — everything,” he told journalists outside Montreal’s courthouse on Friday afternoon. “It means freedom, it means finally I got what I wanted.”

Jolivet wiped away tears and smiled as he proudly held up the decision signed by Fraser before the cameras. He said he had been sitting on the news since Monday.

The 69-year-old was convicted in 1994 of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder, in the shooting deaths of two men and two women in Nov. 1992.

He was released from prison last December after being incarcerated for 33 years as his case was being reviewed for possible miscarriage of justice.

“I want to be found not guilty,” said Jolivet, who has always maintained that he is innocent.

Fraser said he found reasonable grounds to believe there may have been a miscarriage of justice in Jolivet’s case. He said his decision comes after looking at new information that was not before the courts at the time of Jolivet’s trial or appeal.

“Our responsibility is to make sure Canadians can trust their justice system, and that means, in rare cases, returning cases to the courts for new information to be considered,” Fraser said in a statement on Friday. “My decision does not decide guilt or innocence, as that will rest with the courts.”

The Quebec Crown prosecutor’s office said in a statement that it will analyze the evidence to determine whether a new trial is in the public interest.

“As a result of the retrial order … it should be noted that Mr. Jolivet once again enjoys the presumption of innocence,” said Lucas Bastien, a spokesperson for the public prosecutor’s office.

Jolivet stressed that he wants the prosecutor’s office to go ahead with the trial so he can testify in his own defence. He said he has been waiting for a retrial since 1992.

Jolivet’s lawyer, Nicholas St-Jacques of Project Innocence Quebec, said that for a victim of a miscarriage of justice, “it’s very important to hear the word ‘acquitted.'”

“These people have been fighting all their life, often incarcerated, to show their innocence. In the case of Mr. Jolivet, he did not have a fair trial.”

St-Jacques has long argued the case raises red flags, including doubts about the honesty of the main witness.

Evidence at trial hinged largely on the testimony of an informant, who said Jolivet had confessed to killing the four as part of a settling of scores related to drugs and stolen merchandise.

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

The Quebec Crown prosecutor said in June 2025 that there was reason to believe Jolivet’s lawyers did not have all the evidence needed to defend him at trial.

Jolivet said he hopes a new trial will also give closure to the victims’ families and “find out who did it.”

“Because it’s not me,” he said.

St-Jacques and Jolivet say the battle is not over. The two will have to prepare arguments to ensure Jolivet is not reincarcerated while awaiting trial.

Jolivet said his years in prison still weigh heavily on him.

St-Jacques added that though Jolivet had “every reason to be happy” after regaining his freedom, his client still cries when they talk over the phone.

But while waiting for further proceedings, Jolivet said he plans to go fishing with his friends.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2026.

Erika Morris, The Canadian Press