Claude Paquin, a man from Quebec who was wrongly convicted of a double murder and later acquitted after 41 years, has reached a substantial settlement with Montreal and the provincial government. The agreement, which was announced by the three parties in a joint statement on Friday, aims to help Paquin move forward from the challenging chapter in his life without a lengthy trial scheduled for the fall.
In 1983, Paquin was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder related to the deaths of Ronald Bourgouin and Sylvie Revah, a couple murdered in 1978 in the Laurentians. He served 18 years in prison before being granted full parole in 2001 under strict release conditions that persisted for the next 23 years. In 2024, the federal justice minister ordered a retrial, citing new information indicating a potential miscarriage of justice. Paquin, now 83, was acquitted on November 6, 2024.
Paquin credited his lawyers from Projet Innocence Québec for his acquittal, highlighting their crucial role in the case. The conviction against Paquin heavily relied on the testimony of Bernard Provençal, a prominent police informant, but evidence uncovered by Projet Innocence Québec over the years raised doubts about his credibility.
Represented by Woods LLP attorneys, Paquin filed a multimillion-dollar civil lawsuit in Quebec Superior Court in May 2025 against the City of Montreal and the Attorney General of Quebec, alleging failures by their agents, including Montreal police, the Sûreté du Québec, and the Quebec Crown prosecutor’s office. The lawsuit claimed that police and prosecutors were aware as early as 1983 that the informant’s testimony was false and that any physical evidence linking Paquin to the crime had been manipulated.
Describing the case as a “stolen life,” Paquin’s legal team argued that it was not just a miscarriage of justice but a prolonged deprivation of freedom that extended beyond prison walls. The lawsuit sought damages exceeding $89 million, although the exact settlement amount remains confidential due to a non-disclosure agreement.
As the lawsuit was resolved through a settlement, the claims were not litigated in court, and the involved parties declined further comment on the matter.