Romeo Phillion can sue police, Crown for quashed conviction

The longest-serving inmate in Canada to have a murder conviction quashed can now sue those involved in his prosecution.

Ontario's top court says it would be wrong to deny Romeo Phillion a chance at a civil lawsuit against Ottawa police and the Crown.

Phillion was convicted in 1974 and spent 31 years behind bars for the murder of an Ottawa firefighter.

In 2009, the Ontario Court of Appeal set aside the conviction and ordered a new trial because police and the Crown failed to disclose an important piece of evidence.

• Ontario Court of Appeal ruling on Romeo Phillion

Phillion then sued, but an Ontario Superior Court judge ruled too much time had passed and the prosecution had not acted with malice.

However, the appeal court said the conviction issue was different from the civil suit claim that deserves a hearing.