Former cop who prepared 1969 case against Milgaard apologizes
A former Saskatoon police officer has apologized for his actions that helped lead to the wrongful conviction of David Milgaard. In 1969, Elmer Ullrich prepared a case summary outlining the evidence against Milgaard in the rape and murder of Gail Miller.
Ullrich, who is now 76 and in poor health, did not appear at the Saskatoon inquiry into Milgaard's conviction. Inquiry lawyer Doug Hodson read the apology Monday from Ullrich's notes.
"I am sincerely sorry and wish to herewith express and extend my apologies to the Milgaards and in particular to David Milgaard for the mistake we made," Ullrich wrote.
- FROM THE CBC ARCHIVES: The Wrongful Conviction of David Milgaard
"I can only say I did not intend to find him guilty when he was innocent. At the time I thought we, the police, were right in charging him. Obviously we were not."
Milgaard's mother, Joyce, was in the room when the statement was read, and began to weep.
"The tears came to my eyes again, tears of happiness. You finally hear someone say they're sorry. I'm so grateful," she said later.
Ullrich's apology follows the August appearance of another retired police officer, Eddy Karst, who refused to apologize.
"I certainly feel sorry for David Milgaard, or anyone else that has been wrongly incarcerated, or for Mrs. Milgaard having been put through this."
"However, I did nothing wrong in my opinion and I don't feel I have anything to apologize for."
In 1970, 16-year-old David Milgaard was sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1969 murder of 20-year-old Saskatoon nursing aide Gail Miller.
- RELATED STORY: Aug. 25: Joyce Milgaard cries at Milgaard inquiry testimony
After 23 years in prison, the Supreme Court of Canada set aside his conviction. Five years later he was cleared by DNA evidence and awarded $10 million. In the same year, Larry Fisher was found guilty of the rape and stabbing death of Gail Miller.
The public inquiry into those events opened in Saskatoon on Jan. 17.
Mr. Justice Edward MacCallum is expected to hear from more than 100 witnesses - including David Milgaard and Larry Fisher - over the course of a year. The list of potential witnesses includes former prime ministers Brian Mulroney and Kim Campbell and former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow.