Alberta Court of Appeal Overturns Calgary Man’s Double Murder Conviction

The Alberta Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction of a Calgary man previously sentenced to life in prison for the 2020 killings of two men in northwest Calgary.

Gerald Benn was initially found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder three years after the fatal shooting. At trial, the judge cited surveillance footage and DNA found on plastic bags at the scene as key evidence.

In its ruling, the Court of Appeal concluded that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to conclusively prove Benn was the shooter. The decision means Benn’s conviction has been quashed, though the case may be returned to a lower court for further proceedings.

The ruling underscores the high standard of proof required in serious criminal cases and highlights ongoing questions about how forensic and video evidence is interpreted in court.