Jacques Delisle was accused of murdering Marie Nicole Rainville, his wife, a woman who had been partially paralyzed due to a stroke and was recovering from a broken hip at the time of her death in 2009.
Did Jacques Delisle murder his wife Marie Nicole Rainville? Jacques Delisle, a retired Quebec judge, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2009 shooting death of his wife, Marie Nicole Rainville, marking the end of a nearly 15-year legal battle. Here’s what happened:
Initial Trial and Conviction: Delisle was initially convicted in 2012 of fatally shooting Rainville and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. The case was largely based on the testimony of a pathologist who claimed the trajectory of the bullet in Rainville’s brain made it difficult to support the suicide theory.
Appeals and Legal Battles: Delisle maintained his innocence for years, insisting that Rainville took her own life. His appeal was dismissed in 2013, and the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear his case. He spent nine years in prison. However, in 2021, David Lametti, the federal justice minister at the time, ordered a new trial after reviewing evidence that was not previously before the courts and concluded a miscarriage of justice had likely occurred.
New Trial and Plea: In April 2021, Delisle was freed when a new trial was ordered due to concerns about the reliability of forensic evidence and the pathology report. However, in April 2022, Delisle’s lawyers argued successfully that a retrial would be impossible due to errors in the pathology report and unreasonable delays. Despite this, the Court of Appeal later reversed the Superior Court judge’s decision to grant a new stay, paving the way for a new trial. However, the Supreme Court of Canada was expected to decide whether it would hear Delisle’s appeal of that last decision.
Final Plea and Sentencing: On March 14, 2024, Delisle pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting to one count of manslaughter. His lawyer, Jacques Larochelle, told the courtroom that Delisle did not shoot his wife but caused her death by leaving a loaded gun next to her at her request. Larochelle described Delisle as a loving husband to an ailing wife, but acknowledged he had taken a more active role in her death by suicide than previously admitted. The prosecution accepted the plea in part because of Delisle’s age and for the course of justice, adding that “the case somewhere, sometime has to come to an end”.
Sentencing: The prosecution and defense jointly requested the judge sentence Delisle to one additional day behind bars, taking into account the eight years and 310 days already served. Delisle was sentenced to one day, and he was heard saying “you’re not serious” as he was cuffed and escorted out of the courtroom.
This case highlights the complexities of forensic evidence, the challenges of proving intent in cases involving individuals with significant health issues, and the ethical considerations involved in cases involving individuals in positions of authority.
Where Is Jacques Delisle Now?
Jacques Delisle is currently free. After pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of his wife, Marie Nicole Rainville, on March 14, 2024, Delisle was sentenced to one additional day in jail, taking into account the eight years and 310 days he had already served.
Despite the sentence, Delisle was released later the same day, as his lawyers had agreed to the Crown’s request for the additional day incarcerated to ensure that the time he had already served could be considered in his sentence.
Meet Jacques Delisle
Jacques Delisle is a former Canadian judge who served on the Quebec Superior Court from 1985 to 1992 and on the Quebec Court of Appeal until his retirement in 2009. He is notable for being the first judge in Canadian history to be charged with murder, following his arrest, charge, and conviction in June 2010 for the November 2009 death of his wife, Marie-Nicole Rainville. Delisle’s trial began in May 2012, and he was found guilty of first-degree murder on June 14, 2012. His conviction was upheld by the Quebec Court of Appeal in May 2013, and the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear his case in December 2013.
Delisle’s case has been marked by significant legal and procedural developments. In March 2015, he admitted in an interview that his wife had committed suicide with a gun he had supplied, a position supported by forensic experts. This led to a request for a new trial, which was granted by Federal Justice Minister David Lametti in April 2021, setting aside both the sentence and conviction. However, Quebec Superior Court Justice Jean-François Emond ruled in April 2022 that Delisle would not face a second trial, a decision later appealed by the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (DPCP).
Delisle’s case has been a subject of intense media attention and legal scrutiny, highlighting issues of justice, forensic evidence reliability, and the unique challenges posed by cases involving judges.
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