Gillian Guess

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Gillian Guess (born 1955) is a woman from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, who was convicted in 1998 of obstruction of justice, based on her role as a juror in a murder trial in 1995. During the trial, she became sexually involved with one of the accused in the murder trial, Peter Gill. During their relationship he urged her to persuade the other jurors to acquit him. The jury eventually acquitted all accused, including Gill. During the trial, court officials noticed unusual interactions between Gill and Guess and brought it to the attention of the trial judge, who warned Gill not to continue. After the acquittal, police were suspicious and monitored Guess, observing her dancing in a nightclub with Gill. The police also obtained wiretap recordings which provided evidence of the relationship. In 1998, Guess was charged with obstruction of justice under the Criminal Code and tried in the Supreme Court of British Columbia before a judge and jury. The jury convicted her of the offence. The trial judge sentenced her to eighteen months of imprisonment, followed by probation for one year. The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed her appeals and upheld the conviction and sentence of imprisonment. On a Crown appeal, the acquittals of Gill and two co-accused were set aside by the British Columbia Court of Appeal on the basis that the relationship between Gill and Guess had undermined the independence of the judicial process. Gill was not re-tried on the murder charge but he was charged and convicted of obstruction of justice. He received a sentence of just under six years imprisonment. Judges who dealt with the case stated that it was unprecedented for a juror and an accused to have a sexual relationship during the trial. It is believed to be the first case in North...