Date:
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Reconciliation Beyond Symbolism: The Experience of Indigenous Peoples with the Criminal Justice System in Canada
The Case of Colten Boushie
Mr. Chris Murphy, Attorney for the Boushie Family
With an Introduction by Gabrielle Scrimshaw (Stanford MBA ’17, Harvard MPA ’18), member of the Hatchet Lake First Nation
Presented by the Harvard Canadian Law Students Association and the Canada Program at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, and co-sponsored by the Harvard Native American Law Students Association
Coffee Chat with Mr. Murphy at 3 p.m., in Wasserstein 3009
In August, 2016, Colten Boushie, a 22-year-old Indigenous man from Red Pheasant First Nation in Saskatchewan, was shot and killed by Gerald Stanley while on Stanley's property. Stanley's trial and eventual finding of not-guilty by an all-white jury, combined with the public backlash against the verdict, underline the deep wounds that continue to obstruct reconciliation in Canada.
Chris Murphy, lawyer for the Boushie family, will discuss the trial, what it tells us about systemic racism in Canada and its parallels to the U.S., and the desperate need to move beyond symbolism in achieving true reconciliation. Mr. Murphy will also discuss how his experience as a victims' advocate may provide lessons for advocates seeking to engage with criminal justice movements beyond the traditional roles of prosecutor and defence counsel.