Donald Marshall, Jr., at the time 17, was convicted of murdering acquaintance Sandy Seale in 1971 and sentenced to life in prison. The two had confronted Roy Ebsary, an older man they encountered in Wentworth Park in Sydney, Nova Scotia, during the late evening with the intent to "roll a drunk". A short scuffle occurred and Seale fell mortally wounded by a knife blow. Ebsary admitted that he had stabbed Seale but then lied about his role to the police who immediately focused on Marshall, who was 'known to them' from previous incidents.
Marshall spent 11 years in jail before being acquitted by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal in 1983. A witness came forward to say he had seen another man stab Seale, and several prior witness statements pinpointing Marshall were recanted. Ebsary was subsequently tried and convicted of manslaughter.
Read more about this topic: Overturned Convictions In Canada