DRUG-RELATED CONVICTIONS QUASHED DUE TO MOUNTIE'S FABRICATIONS

HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia's Court of Appeal has quashed drug convictions
against a dozen people because an RCMP officer fabricated evidence
against them. In a decision released yesterday, the court says none of
the convictions can stand because former Mountie Daniel Ryan sold
drugs while lying under oath to justify search warrants for the
premises of the 12 men who were convicted.

"While investigating the appellants for drug-related offences, then
RCMP officer Daniel Ryan kept a dark secret," the court says in its
decision. "In fact he was a drug dealer, breaking the very laws that
he was sworn to uphold."

The court says the rights of the men to fair trials were
infringed.

"There is no doubt that in this case the infringement of the
appellants' right to make full answer and defence is irreparable," the
court said.

"Consider this. We have a police officer selling drugs while lying
under oath to justify warrants to search the appellants' premises. For
this reason alone, nothing short of a stay can serve to protect the
integrity of our criminal justice system."

The Crown supported the appeals against the convictions. In every
case, the men had pleaded guilty to the charges against them.

The men asked the appeal court to quash the charges and stay any
further proceedings against them. The appeal court says that in all
the cases, the men finished serving their sentences years ago.

Mr. Ryan was an officer at the RCMP detachment in Tantallon, just
outside of Halifax.

Mr. Ryan was sentenced to four years in prison after he was convicted
in June 2004 of marijuana trafficking and breach of trust.