‘ Reformed his life’
Ottawa makes clemency case for Canadian on death row
Th e federal government says a Canadian who has been on death row in the United States for more than three decades should be granted clemency because he has “reformed his life” and received poor legal counsel when he was convicted.
Ronald Smith, 60, and originally from Red Deer, Alta., has been on death row since 1983 after fatally shooting two young men while he was high on LSD and alcohol near East Glacier, Mont.
He refused a plea deal and pleaded guilty. His request for the death penalty was granted. Smith had a change of heart and has bee nona legal rollercoaster for decades. An execution date has been set five times and each time the order was overturned.
The Canadian government sent a letter to Montana Gov. Steve Bullock last year asking
for clemency for Smith. The Canadian Press has obtained a copy of the request that was signed by then- former foreign aff airs minister Stephane Dion. “While our government does not wish to minimize the gravity of the crime for which Mr. Smith was convicted, we believe there
are unique circumstances that provide compelling reasons for granting him clemency — most notably the ineffectiveness of Mr. Smith’s original counsel and his success in reforming his life,” reads Dion’s letter.
Dion said Smith has been an exemplary inmate during his time at Montana State Prison. “He has developed strong relationships with family members and has taken advantage of educational opportunities available to him. Mr. Smith has shown profound remorse and deep regret for his actions.”
Dion wrote there is “signifi - cant evidence” that Smith’s original lawyer did not provide “competent representation” and spent only six hours on the case before allowing his client to plead guilty.
“Mr. Smith’s original legal counsel ... failed to investigate the facts surrounding the crime; failed to investigate Mr. Smith’s mental state; and failed to discuss possible defences with Mr. Smith.” Th e letter also notes the “unwarranted disparity” between Smith receiving a death sentence and his co- accused, Rodney Munro, who accepted the plea bargain and pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison but was returned to Canada and released in 1998.