Donald Marshall, a young man of 16 was sentenced to life in prison for a crime that he did not commit. Late one night, in May 1971 Marshall and his friend Sandy Seale was out looking for trouble in a park in Sydney, Nova Scotia. This night turned into a nightmare for Young Donald Marshall when he and his friend confronted Roy Ebsary, a short scuffle occurred and Seale fell mortally wounded by a knife blow. .
The police in Sydney immediately focused on Marshall, who was "know to them"" from previous incidents. They assumed that Marshall had killed Ebsary in a rage or for some reason, From the beginning , the system seemed determined to prove that Marshall was guilty, and he was easily convicted. The court was racism and did not favour aboriginals at all. They did not give him a fair court, but judged him on his background and previous records instead of the evidence that were layed out. Marshall was convicted of Murder and sent to Dorchester for life in prison.
This was a beginning to the years of trouble and heartache that awaited Marshall in the 11 years of his sentence for a crime he did not commit. These years would turn him into a hereo and a help to his people.
Nearly 20 years after his release,Marshall still finds himself at the mercy of the court. Marshall was arrested and sent to court again in 1999 for fishing without a licence. Marshall fought this and took it to Supreme Canada, were he won the court ruling that gave Nova Scotian Natives the right to fish year round, He based this on a treaty that was signed in the 1700's stating that Natives had the right to fish and hunt at anytime of the year.Marshall has become an Icon , a hero, and a Champion to the Native People.And also a hereo to all Nova Scotians.Marshall has written a famous book called Justice denied which a movie has been based on. The documentary uses archival news footage to trace Marshall's tow major dealings with the Canadian justice system.
