Canada Case Law

R. v. Buckley

Court

Supreme Court of Nova Scotia

The Mr. Big confession and all evidence surrounding Operation Hackman are inadmissible because the Crown failed to prove on a balance of probabilities that the confession's probative value outweighed its substantial prejudicial effect given prior disclosure, powerful inducements, lack of independent corroboration and unreliable subsequent cautioned statement; a time‑limited three‑year publication ban under s.486.5 is warranted to protect undercover officers.

Source excerpt

• Mr. big technique
• Admissibility of confessions
• Voir dire
• Publication ban (s.486.5 criminal code)
• Degenais/mentuck test
• Reliability markers in confessions

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R. v. Langlet

Court

Supreme Court of British Columbia

Voir dire on admissibility of Mr. Big confessions in a first degree murder case; the court held the evidence admissible and found no Charter breach or abuse of process.

• Mr. big investigation
• Admissibility of confessions
• Abuse of process
• Charter s.7
• Charter s.11(d)
• Probative vs prejudicial balancing

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