R. v. Savoy (R.L.), [2000] B.C.T.C. 247 (S.C.): Voice Identification (Comment), [2000] B.C.T.C. 247 (S.C.)

• Court: Ontario Court of Justice General Division (Canada)
• Case Date: January 09, 2001
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: [2000] B.C.T.C. 247 (S.C.)

R. v. Savoy (R.L.) (Comment), [2001] B.C.T.C. C01

MLB Case Comment

Case Comment

Indexed As: R. v. Savoy (R.L.), [2000] B.C.T.C. 247 (S.C.): Voice Identification (Comment)

Ontario Court of Justice

Provincial Division

Renaud, P.D.J.

January 9, 2001.

Summary:

Savoy was charged with robbery, while armed with an offensive weapon, contrary to s. 344(b) of the Criminal Code, and having his face masked, or coloured, or was otherwise disguised with an intent to commit an indictable offence, contrary to s. 351(2). Savoy allegedly held up a Bakery while disguised and stole over $1,000. He was identified by a Bakery employee who recognized his voice.

The British Columbia Supreme Court, in a decision reported [2000] B.C.T.C. 247, held that the voice identification was not reliable and acquitted the accused.

Renaud, P.D.J., of the Ontario Court (Provincial Division), in the following case comment, reviewed voice identification and attempted to identify the guiding principles in the admission and evaluation of voice identification by a series of questions and answers.

Criminal Law - Topic 5244.1

Evidence - Witnesses - Identification - Voice identification - See paragraphs 1 to 52.

Criminal Law - Topic 5246

Evidence - Witnesses - Identification - Line-up - General - See paragraphs 45 to 47.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Koruz (1993), 14 Alta. L.R.(3d) 35 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Williams (T.) (1985), 80 O.A.C. 119; 23 O.R.(3d) 122; 98 C.C.C.(3d) 160; 40 C.R.(4th) 181 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Reid, [1993] O.J. No. 3283 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Lee (E.) (1996), 1 O.T.C. 224 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Seeley (D.), [2000] O.A.C. Uned. 256 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Dua (A.K.), [1999] O.T.C. Uned. B70 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Sahayesteh (S.) (1996), 94 O.A.C. 81; 111 C.C.C.(3d) 225; 31 O.R.(3d) 161 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 6].

R. v. Seto, [1997] O.J. No. 1166 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 6].

R. v. Smarden, [2000] N.S.J. No. 59 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. Nikolovski (A.), [1996] 3 S.C.R. 1197; 204 N.R. 333; 96 O.A.C. 1; 111 C.C.C.(3d) 403, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. Williams (1995), 80 O.A.C. 119; 23 O.R.(3d) 122; 98 C.C.C.(3d) 160; 40 C.R.(4th) 181 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 13].

R. v. Rumbaut (C.M.H.), [1998] N.B.R.(2d) (Supp.) No. 61 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Mitchell, [1996] O.J. No. 5507 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Bricker (J.E.) (1994), 71 O.A.C. 383; 90 C.C.C.(3d) 268 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Neary (G.A.) (2000), 187 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 142; 566 A.P.R. 142 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. MacDonald (J.J.) (1989), 90 N.S.R.(2d) 218; 230 A.P.R. 218; 48 C.C.C.(3d) 230 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Parsons, [1999] Y.J. No. 3 (Terr. Ct.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Baxter (D.R.) (1997), 90 B.C.A.C. 54; 147 W.A.C. 54; 115 C.C.C.(3d) 64 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Moore, [1992] B.C.J. No. 750 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Latchana (K.), [1997] O.T.C. Uned. 336 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. T.S. (2000), 185 N.S.R.(2d) 76; 575 A.P.R. 76 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Dipietro, [1991] A.J. No. 424 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Doyle (D.V.) (1992), 14 B.C.A.C. 207; 26 W.A.C. 207 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

R. v. Wolf (J.) (1999), 91 O.T.C. 381 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Cyr, [1993] O.J. No. 1988 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Campbell, [1992] O.J. No. 41 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Boisvert (1985), 59 A.R. 347; 37 Alta. L.R.(2d) 9 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

R. v. Narsing (1996), 45 Alta. L.R.(3d) 228; 22 C.E.L.R.(N.S.) 118 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. L.M., [1991] O.J. No. 2520 (Prov. Div.), refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Barriault (J.M.) (1993), 28 B.C.A.C. 241; 47 W.A.C. 241 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Dallaire, [1990] O.J. No. 986 (Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Bricker (J.E.) (1994), 71 O.A.C. 383; 90 C.C.C.(3d) 268 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 37].

R. v. Portillo (W.) (1999), 105 O.T.C. 395 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 40].

R. v. Sheratt (C.P.) (1998), 66 O.T.C. 122 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 42].

R. v. Durette et al. (1992), 54 O.A.C. 81; 9 O.R.(3d) 557 (C.A.), revd. [1994] 1 S.C.R. 469; 163 N.R. 321; 70 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 42].

R. v. Ford (R.L.) (1993), 23 B.C.A.C. 50; 39 W.A.C. 50; 78 C.C.C.(3d) 481 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 42].

R. v. Penney (J.S.) (2000), 193 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 286; 582 A.P.R. 286 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 42].

R. v. Neves (J.A.) (2000), 149 Man.R.(2d) 161 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Tam (C.K.), [1997] B.C.T.C. Uned. H74 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Pelland (J.R.) (1997), 99 O.A.C. 62 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Gordon (B.) (1999), 94 O.T.C. 161 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Innocente (D.J.) et al. (2000), 183 N.S.R.(2d) 1; 568 A.P.R. 1 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 51].

R. v. Millward (R.C.) (1995), 174 A.R. 183; 102 W.A.C. 183 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Wydenes (S.) (1999), 123 B.C.A.C. 236; 201 W.A.C. 236 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Charron (A.) (1996), 141 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 170; 443 A.P.R. 170 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 52].

Authors and Works Noticed:

MacFarlane, Bruce A., Frater, Robert J., and Proulx, Chantal, Drug Offences in Canada (3rd Ed. 1996) (Looseleaf), c. 21, para. 21.1620 [para. 38].

Counsel:

This case comment contains no counsel.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.

This case comment was delivered by Renaud, P.D.J., of the Ontario Court (Provincial Division), on January 9, 2001.