David Milgaard

David Milgaard was a Canadian man who was wrongfully convicted of the 1969 rape and murder of Gail Miller in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and spent 23 years in prison before being released.

David Milgaard was a Canadian man wrongfully convicted of the 1969 rape and murder of Gail Miller in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He spent 23 years in prison before being released in 1992 and later exonerated through DNA evidence in 1997. After his release, he became an advocate for the wrongfully convicted and prisoners' rights.

Wrongful conviction

Milgaard was arrested in 1969 for the murder of Gail Miller, a nursing student in Saskatoon, and convicted in 1970. His case became one of Canada’s best-known miscarriages of justice, later reviewed by the courts and a commission of inquiry.

Release and exoneration

The Supreme Court of Canada ordered a new trial in 1992, leading to Milgaard’s release after 23 years in prison. DNA evidence in 1997 linked the crime to Larry Fisher, and Saskatchewan later acknowledged Milgaard’s factual innocence. The government issued an apology and paid compensation.

Advocacy and legacy

After his release, Milgaard spoke publicly about wrongful convictions and prisoners’ rights. His case influenced later reforms in Canada, including the federal review mechanism named in part for David and Joyce Milgaard.

Death

Milgaard died in Calgary in 2022 at age 69. News reports said the death followed a brief hospital stay related to pneumonia.