Alberta judge grants bail for man convicted of 1987 murder after new trial ordered
Decades after Roy Allan Sobotiak was sentenced to life for the killing of an Edmonton woman, the 61-year-old is set to walk out of prison.
Alberta Court of King's Bench Justice Eric Macklin granted bail Friday to Sobotiak, who was convicted in 1991 for the murder of Susan Kaminsky. His conviction was quashed in February and a new trial was ordered.
Macklin told court that Sobotiak is considered legally innocent and must be granted release.
Lawyer James Lockyer said his client was to be released later in the day.
'Thirty-six years is a very long time for someone to be in jail,' said Lockyer, who has worked on the case with Innocence Canada.
'It's a good day for him, it's a good day for justice. But he's going to find it difficult getting back into a world he doesn't know.'
Tweet This
Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's a good day for him, it's a good day for justice. But he's going to find it difficult getting back into a world he doesn't know."
Story continues below advertisement
'I think he'll find a lot of things in the world quite frightening, but he's going to have good support as soon as he gets out and thereafter. So I'm confident he'll manage.'
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Sobotiak was 26 when he was charged with first-degree murder in the 1987 killing of Kaminsky. The 34-year-old mother, whose body was never found, disappeared after a night out with friends at a north end pub. She was last seen with Sobotiak.
The trial heard Sobotiak told an undercover officer that he tortured, sexually assaulted, killed and dismembered Kaminsky before disposing of her body in the garbage.
Sobotiak was convicted of second-degree murder. A conviction appeal was dismissed in 1994 and leave to appeal to Canada's top court was denied in 2004.
He had been serving his sentence at a federal penitentiary in Alberta.
Crown prosecutors agreed to Sobotiak's bail but said he should be kept under house arrest. Lockyer suggested a curfew.
Sobotiak is to live in Fort McMurray and must abide by conditions, including a curfew, a travel restriction and electronic monitoring for three months.
Innocence Canada, a non-profit that advocates against wrongful convictions, said Sobotiak has always insisted on his innocence.
Lockyer said his client is the longest-serving wrongly convicted person in Canadian history, behind David Milgaard and Romeo Phillion.
Story continues below advertisement
In February, former federal justice minister Arif Virani quashed Sobotiak's conviction and ordered a new trial, saying a miscarriage of justice 'likely occurred.'
Months later, lawyers for Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery filed a judicial review, arguing in court documents that Virani provided no reasoning why a new trial was warranted.
Lockyer said he finds it surprising Alberta requested a review and Innocence Canada will be supporting Sobotiak and the federal government.
'We think it's unlikely to be successful, but that's not going to be our decision,' he said.
Heather Jenkins, press secretary for Amery's office, said in an email Friday the ministry is unable to comment as the matter is before the courts.
No date has been set for a new trial.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
an hour ago
- Global News
Toronto tenant fears homelessness amid alleged ‘bad faith' eviction
A Toronto man who has lived in the same High Park apartment for decades says he now fears for his livelihood after being denied permission to appeal his eviction to Ontario's top court. Andras Henye, who is disabled, partially blind and dealing with declining health, has lived in the same apartment for nearly 50 years. He had asked the Ontario Court of Appeal to hear his case, arguing that he was evicted in bad faith by his landlord, Minto Apartment REIT. According to court documents, Henye's eviction is due to non-compliance with smoking rules in the building, despite having a grandfathered right to smoke. He says he fully complied with previous court orders requiring him to stop, but is still being evicted. Now in his late 50s and with ongoing health issues, Hanye told Global News he fears he won't be able to find another place after his court proceedings were posted online by an unknown third party without his consent. 'I'll be evicted, and I'll be homeless. And that's what worries me the most,' he said. Story continues below advertisement Henye has lived in the apartment since childhood; his parents died in the same unit. 'My home is my life. Losing it would mean losing everything, possibly my life.' Henye says he's up to date on rent and had stopped smoking in the unit before his landlord, Minto Apartment REIT, moved to evict him. In a decision released this week, the Court of Appeal dismissed Henye's motion for leave to appeal and denied his request to stop the eviction. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'While I am cognizant of attachment to the unit and his health challenges, I see no meritorious ground of appeal such that an order should be granted,' wrote Justice Julie Thorburn. The eviction order remains in effect and may be enforced at any time. Legal team raises concerns Henye's lawyer, Dr. Michael Motala, said the case raises concerns about how the Landlord and Tenant Board handles vulnerable tenants, especially those representing themselves. Story continues below advertisement 'At the Landlord and Tenant Board, Mr. Henye was not given an opportunity to speak whatsoever until I think approximately an hour into the hearing,' Motala said. Motala said that Henye asked to raise preliminary issues and seek an adjournment briefly to get a lawyer, but 'none of these things happened in this matter.' Motala also told Global News that Henye fully complied with all court orders and stopped smoking in his unit long ago. 'There's a lot of stigma associated with smoking. Despite the fact that there's a contractual right, he has in good faith obeyed any court order, including the one he referenced, and has completely ceased the activity,' Motala added. 'Housing is a human right' Other tenants say Henye's case is not unique and reflects a larger pattern of corporate landlords displacing long-time residents. Story continues below advertisement Melinda McInnes, a longtime High Park resident and community advocate, said she's seen it firsthand. 'I have seen countless REITovictions in my time,' McInnes said. 'There's fear for housing security.' She adds that this case will set a concerning example for corporate landlords and tenants dealing with similar situations. 'Decisions like these send strong messages to long-term, vulnerable tenants that their rights are irrelevant. Housing is a human right, not a bump in a monthly dividend cheque.' In response to an inquiry from Global News, Minto declined to comment on the specifics but said the case has been ongoing for some time. 'We are not going to be providing any additional details on this matter at the given moment,' said Tamara Costa, senior director with Minto. 'Many parties are involved … it's been going on for many years.' 'I simply want fair treatment and the right to live my life peacefully,' said Henye.
Global News
3 hours ago
- Global News
Colombian senator shot and wounded at Bogota rally
Colombian Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay, a possible candidate in the country's presidential election next year, was shot and wounded at a campaign rally in Bogota on Saturday, authorities said. His conservative Democratic Center party released a statement calling it 'an unacceptable act of violence.' The attack took place in a park in the Fontibon neighbourhood when armed assailants shot him from behind, said the right-wing Democratic Center, which was the party of former President Alvaro Uribe. The men are not related. Images circulating on social media showed Uribe Turbay, 39, covered in blood being held by several people. A medical report from the Santa Fe Foundation hospital said the senator was admitted in critical condition and is undergoing a 'neurosurgical and peripheral vascular procedure.' 'Miguel is fighting for his life,' his wife, María Claudia Tarazona, wrote on the senator's X account, urging Colombians to pray for him. Story continues below advertisement The Attorney General's Office, which is investigating the shooting, said the senator received two gunshot wounds in the attack, which wounded two others. The statement from the office said a 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene with a firearm. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Colombia's government said it was offering a reward for the capture of all those responsible. 'Respect life, that's the red line,' President Gustavo Petro said in a message posted on his X account. Shortly after making the post, Petro canceled a planned trip to France 'due to the seriousness of the events,' according to a presidential statement. Late Saturday night, after leading an extraordinary security council session, Colombia's first leftist president promised 'complete transparency' in the investigation and to find the intellectual authors of the attack. He also promised an investigation into any failures by the senator's bodyguards. Uribe Turbay is the son of a journalist who was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during one of the country's most violent periods. Colombia will hold a presidential election on May 31, 2026, marking the end of Petro's term. The senator announced his presidential bid in March. Colombian police chief Gen. Carlos Triana said that at the time of the attack Uribe Turbay was accompanied by Councilman Andrés Barrios and 20 other people. A minor who allegedly participated in the attack was apprehended at the scene and was being treated for a leg injury, he said. Story continues below advertisement 'I have ordered the Colombian military and police forces and intelligence agencies to deploy all their capabilities to urgently clarify the facts,' said Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X that the 'United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe.' He urged President Petro 'to dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials.' 'This is a direct threat to democracy and the result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government,' Rubio said. 2:07 Business Matters: Trump's tariff threat worked on Colombia, but Canada and Mexico carry higher stakes Reactions poured in from around Latin America, with Chilean President Gabriel Boric saying 'there is no room or justification for violence in a democracy,' and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa saying 'we condemn all forms of violence and intolerance.' Both presidents offered solidarity to the senator's family. Story continues below advertisement In Colombia, former President Uribe said 'they attacked the hope of the country, a great husband, father, son, brother, a great colleague.'
Canada Standard
4 hours ago
- Canada Standard
"Khalistanis surrounded me, threatened violence," says Canadian journo who was assualted
Vancouver [Canada], June 8 (ANI): Canadian Investigative Journalist Mocha Bezirgan, who was physically assaulted by multiple Khalistanis in Canada on Sunday, said that an assailant was also a stalker, who had been tailing him for over a year. Bezirgan, in a conversation with ANI, said that the said Khalistani stalker doxed his movements and assaulted him in front of the police. 'Well, I'm still in Vancouver and it just happened two hours ago, not too long ago, and I'm still shaking because I was surrounded by multiple Khalistanis who acted like thugs. They surrounded me, threatened violence and they got physical with me. They grabbed my phone out of my hand in front of police, by the way,' he said. Bezirgan said that the stalker harassed him for a long time using dehumanizing language against him. 'This has been very stressful for me because this was done by an individual who has been harassing me for a very long time online using dehumanizing language against me, doxing my whereabouts,' he said. Bezirgan told ANI that he had been covering Khalistani protests and being an independent journalist, his works irk them. He added that they try to bribe him, and if that doesn't work, they threaten violence. 'I've been covering the Khalistani protests in Canada, US, UK, New Zealand. Since last year, I've been to about 30 of their events. And my only goal is to do independent journalism and record and report what's going on. And because I'm editorially independent, this frustrates some people. They want to influence me. They want to buy me. If they can't buy it, they want to threaten violence towards me. That's what this individual did,' he said. Bezirgan added that this Khalistani stalker of his is a UK citizen who is threatening him- a Canadian citizen for simply doing his job. 'He's not even a Canadian citizen. He is from the UK. He is in Canada, threatening me, a Canadian citizen trying to do his job. And yeah, I was just there reporting on the event,' he said. He said that he was reporting an event which was honouring their so-called martyrs- killers of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and minor suicide bombers. 'Khalistanis gathered to honor their so-called martyrs, including the assassins of Indira Gandhi and suicide bombers, child suicide bombers. And I was reporting on that. This was a public event in a public location. And I was within my rights to do what I was doing,' he said. He further recounted the chilling details where he was verbally threatened first and then was assaulted. 'But there was this one individual who was not even a Canadian citizen. He came up to me and started asking me questions. He was very close to my face. And I said, listen, if you want to have a conversation, sure, let's talk, but you need to keep your distance. And he would keep saying, let's go around the corner. Let's go around the corner. I'll show you around the corner if you're not scared. And I told him, yeah, I'm not scared, but let's speak here,' he said. 'If you want to say something, because I'm an independent journalist, I have to be accountable. I accept challenges and I'm okay with conversations, but this individual, this was not a conversation,' he added. Bezirgan then said that as this assailant drew closer, more people joined him and the stalker kept throwing questions at him. 'He keeps coming at my face, very close proximity. I'm stepping one step back, he's stepping forward. I'm telling him to keep his distance. He's not keeping his distance. He's asking loaded questions and won't even allow me to answer. Interrupting, advancing towards me, keeping his finger and hands towards my face. This is becoming very threatening. And then all of a sudden I had two, three people surrounding me with the same physical closeness. I have nowhere to go,' he said. 'And they're saying, so you're talking, you're talking about Sikhs, huh?' he added. Bezirgan said that as he started recording the incident, the other assailants hid their faces out of fear and walked away. But there was one Khalistani who kept asking him questions. He even grabbed his phone and stopped the recording and assaulted him despite police's warning. 'At that moment, I was recording secretly from my main camera because I felt that something physical is about to happen. I was recording, but to get a better view, I started recording from my phone as well. As soon as I started recording, they turned their faces away. They are scared. But this one individual, he keeps walking towards me. I walk away, he keeps walking. And then eventually he grabbed my phone out of my hand for a moment. It stopped my recording. And when I turned back on, the police was engaging with him and telling him to stop his harassing behavior,' he said. The journalist revealed that the police exercise restraint in addressing such issues. 'Canadian police are very conservative when it comes to laying charges or making arrests. They exercise a high degree of restraint, which I do not like because that type of behavior where he's reaching for my phone, grabbing my phone, having physical contact, harassing me. And I have filed police reports about this individual about this specific individual before, for his harassment,' he said. Bezirgan expressed his disappointment at the Canadian police and called for the deportation of the assailant. 'And, you know, him being allowed to walk free is a big disappointment. I think he should be deported back to UK. He's a foreign national. He's not a citizen of Canada. What is he doing interfering with my job, interfering with the journalism of a Canadian citizen? This is unacceptable. He should be deported,' he said. Bezirgan further recounted with chills how he was stalked even after police warning. 'His harassment continued even after police warned him. And I have more footage I'm about to upload on my channel. He continued following me throughout the parade. I'm stopping, he stops. I keep walking, he keeps walking. I distance myself and then I just turn around, he's standing right behind me. I go walk across the street. He comes near standing,' he said. He added that he called the police after this Khalistani person kept stalking him even outside the premises of the event. He added that he had filed multiple complaints of this person before with the police. 'I get away from the event. He's getting away from the events with me. And then eventually I had to call 911 and be like, Hey, this behavior is continuing and officers on the ground may not be aware, but I have filed police reports about this guy before. So please let them know. And officers came and they took notes for the police report further. And then they escorted me to safety. On top of a bicycle, he followed me to the train station, and that's how I departed from the area,' he said. He added that the assailants are trying to portray him as a weakling who is running away from questions. He refuted the claims and said that this is not how someone asks questions, this was threatening. 'But, now on online platforms, they are trying to frame it as, Mocha is afraid of conversation or they are always resorting to disinformation and they are trying to portray me as someone who's afraid to have conversation when I'm being assaulted, I'm being threatened, I'm being surrounded. My phone is being grabbed from my hand,' he said. 'That's not how you have a conversation. You don't go up to someone's face and don't give them any space and you keep talking and not letting them, that's not conversation. Very uncivilized and yeah, it's been, it's quite shaken me because I felt my safety was threatened,' he added. In a post on X, he said, 'I've been surrounded by a group of Khalistanis who grabbed my phone out of my hand and threatened me. Naturally I'm a bit shaken, but not deterred. Footage coming.' (ANI)
