Canada’s Supreme Court overturns second trial for Quebec man

MONTREAL — The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that a Quebec man convicted of manslaughter in the death of his spouse will not face a second trial.

The country’s highest court overturned the Quebec Court of Appeal’s decision to grant a new trial for Pascal Varennes.

In 2020, Varennes was acquitted of second-degree murder but found guilty of manslaughter in the December 2015 death of his wife, and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

The prosecution challenged the verdict, questioning the judge’s decision to hold the trial without a jury.

The Quebec Court of Appeal sided with the prosecution in 2023 and ordered that Varennes be retried.

However, in a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the trial judge.

By opting for a trial without a jury, the judge avoided delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which could have resulted in a violation of the accused’s Charter right to be tried within a reasonable time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2025.