Man who blamed `homosexual panic' in 1985 murder dies

Corrections Canada confirms Ottawa native died while serving life sentence

The man who once claimed he stabbed a Quebec school teacher 40 times in 1985 because of “homosexual panic” has died in a Kingston prison.

Steven Tanner was convicted of the second-degree murder in Ottawa of 40-year-old Dan Watters and sentenced to life in prison in January 1987. He died Monday at the age of 59.

Postmedia News archives show that Tanner testified before an eight-day jury trial at the time that he was not gay and met up with Watters at the promise of a party. Tanner told the court that Watters approached him with a knife and demanded sex. Tanner then took the knife and attacked the teacher.

Tanner said he feared for his life, while the Crown contended there were other defences that could have been taken instead of inflicting the number of wounds they suggested indicated an intent to kill.

After seven and a half hours, a jury of seven men and five women agreed.

Tanner appealed the conviction, and in 1994, the Ontario Court of Appeal decided the trial judge failed to instruct the jury correctly, ordering a new trial.

The Crown appealed that decision to the Supreme Court of Canada, and in 1995 they overturned the Ontario Court of Appeal's decision. The Supreme Court said the trial judge made no legal errors.

On Wednesday morning, Correctional Service Canada announced Tanner had died while in its custody at Collins Bay Institution.

“At this time, further information regarding the cause of death is not available,” CSC said.

Tanner's next of kin have been notified of his death.

CSC said it will be reviewing the circumstances of Tanner's death as it does with every death of an inmate. Police and the coroner have been notified.