R. v. Lapointe and Sicotte, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 1253
Daniel Lapointe and Bruno Sicotte Appellants
v.
Her Majesty The Queen Respondent
indexed as: r. v. lapointe and sicotte
File No.: 18229.
1987: June 3; 1987: June 25.
Present: Dickson C.J. and Beetz, Lamer, Wilson, Le Dain, La Forest and L'Heureux‑Dubé JJ.
on appeal from the court of appeal for ontario
Criminal law ‑‑ Evidence ‑‑ Admissibility of confessions ‑‑ Language comprehension and expression ‑‑ Whether language comprehension related to the admissibility of a confession or to its weight.
Held: The appeal should be dismissed.
APPEAL from a judgment of the Ontario Court of Appeal (1983), 9 C.C.C. (3d) 366 allowing an appeal from an acquittal on a directed verdict and ordering a new trial. Appeal dismissed.
Thomas S. Dungey, for the appellants.
S. Casey Hill and James K. Stewart, for the respondent.
The following is the judgment delivered by
1. The Court‑‑After a jury trial, the appellants, on a directed verdict, were acquitted by the County Court on two counts of robbery and two related counts of using a firearm in the commission of an indictable offence.
2. The Ontario Court of Appeal unanimously quashed the verdict of acquittal and directed a new trial.
3. The judgment of the Court of Appeal is reported: R. v. Lapointe and Sicotte (1983), 9 C.C.C. (3d) 366 (Ont. C.A.).
4. We are substantially in agreement with the reasons of Lacourcière J.A. who delivered the judgment for the Court.
5. Consequently, the appeal is dismissed.
Appeal dismissed.
Solicitor for the appellants: Thomas S. Dungey, Toronto.
Solicitor for the respondent: The Ministry of the Attorney General for Ontario.