Edmonton man gets bail with murder conviction overturned after 36 years behind bars
Roy Sobotiak was convicted of second-degree murder in the 1987 killing of Edmonton mother Susan Kaminsky. But after the federal justice minister ordered a new trial this year, a judge granted Sobotiak's release on Friday, saying he is now considered legally innocent.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Suffolk jails forced to hold 125 prisoners set for transfer because of state chaos
Suffolk County's jails are being forced to hold onto 125 felons who were supposed to be transferred upstate — with officials blaming state government chaos for the delay, The Post has learned. County Executive Ed Romaine blamed Gov. Kathy Hochul and said housing a growing number of state prisoners is putting staff in a dangerous situation as taxpayers are on the hook for hundreds of thousands in estimated extra costs. 'They've been convicted and are supposed to be in state prisons and they're not because the state is just not taking them,' Romaine told The Post. 'Now, why is the state not taking them?' the Republican added. 'Well, [Hochul] fired 2,000 corrections officers striking for better working conditions and she's closing prisons around the state.' Under state law, inmates sentenced to hard time in state prison are supposed to be transferred upstate within 10 business days. But Romaine said that has changed in the aftermath of labor unrest with the corrections officer union and Democratic governor. He said the delays are now causing headaches across the system, from administration to the inmates themselves. Most of the detainees in the two county jails — in Riverhead and Yaphank — are people accused of low-level crimes that are being held for trial and have not been convicted. They are now bunking alongside convicted criminals who were intended to only pass through the system. Romaine added that the influx of roughly 125 felons is raising serious safety and management concerns for staff. 'Our jail staff are already spread thin,' Romaine wrote in a letter to Gov. Hochul in May obtained by The Post. 'I understand that the state faces similar staffing challenges, but it is unfair to shift this burden to the County with minimal financial compensation and little to no collaboration.' The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision blamed the backlog on system-halting staffing shortages that were sparked after the state fired 2,000 corrections officers who participated in an unauthorized, nearly month-long strike in March. Romaine shot back that the staffing shortages should be Suffolk's problem. 'The law says they're state ready, then they need to be in state prisons, not local jails,' he said. New York State is reimbursing Suffolk $100 per day for every inmate stuck in the county jails, but Romaine said the county pays $250 per day for each, meaning taxpayers are on the hook for the extra $150. 'The warden and his staff calculate that we have expended approximately $280,000 in excess of what we have received from the state to house these state ready but unclaimed prisoners since February,' Romaine wrote in the May letter. More inmates in lockup means more guards are needed to work — with more overtime costs, he added. Romaine warned that if the backlog continues, it could lead to dangerous overcrowding and unravel the work the county has been doing to improve jail conditions. 'This is unsustainable long term,' he said.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Silver Alert issued after 32-year-old goes missing in Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Police have issued a Silver Alert and are seeking the public's assistance in locating Alexa Smith, a 32-year-old woman who was last seen on Sunday morning near Harbison Avenue West and Watt Street. Smith is white, 4'11, heavier build with short blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a red T-shirt, beige sweatpants and light runners. Kiana Pott, Smith's younger sister, says she is concerned about her. "She sometimes is nonverbal. She doesn't talk much. She's good, but she's been in and out of the hospital for a little bit, so she could be going on a mental break right now and just wandered away," said Pott. Smith's mother, Dana Smith, says the police have been looking for her daughter, but so far has not heard of any sightings of her. A Silver Alert is activated when a vulnerable adult is reported missing. Anyone with information on Smith's whereabouts can contact the Winnipeg Police Service Missing Persons Unit at 204-986-6250.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
One dead after Saturday night shooting in Toronto's west end: police
A male in his teens is dead after a shooting in Toronto's west end on Saturday night, police said. Police said they responded to reports of a shooting in the area of Emmett Avenue and Jane Street just after 10 p.m., where officers found the victim with a gunshot wound. Det. Sgt. Phillip Campbell said the male was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead. "We can understand how concerning incidents like this are to members of the community," Campbell said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. "We want to assure the public that we are dedicating all necessary resources to this investigation to find those responsible." Campbell said police do not have a suspect description at this time, but said the suspect fled after the shooting. He said officers will remain in the area as they canvass for video footage and witnesses. "It's way early. There's lots of people that we want to interview. There's lots of family that we wanna talk to. As you can imagine, it is pretty sensitive to some people," Campbell said. Campbell urged anyone with information to contact investigators. "Every time this happens, somebody loses somebody they love and care about, and it's pretty harmful," he said. "It has a ripple effect on the community." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2025. Rianna Lim, The Canadian Press