Roger Brossard

Journalist Jacques Hubert published a series of books arguing that Wilbert had been the victim of a miscarriage of justice and accusing Quebec officials of putting the province's tourism industry ahead of the truth.

The growing controversy led Quebec to establish a commission of inquiry in 1964, headed by Judge Roger Brossard.

The high-ranking police officer he named to lead the new investigation just happened to be one of the police on the original investigation.

So this officer was effectively investigating his own conduct as well as that of his boss, Captain Matte, now Inspector General Matte.

Wilbert Coffin's defense lawyer strenuously objected to this on the basis of a clear conflict of interest, but Judge Brossard dismissed it.

The commission heard from more than 200 witnesses over four months.

Brossard slammed Jacques Hubert's book as an unfounded attack on the reputations of Quebec officials and concluded there was no evidence that former Quebec Premier Duplessis launched a personal vendetta against Wilbert Coffin under pressure from American sources.

The judge also addressed a significant development a few years after Wilbert's execution.