deadmonton 2005 - the trial of michael white
 |
Liana White, 29, was stabbed to death July 12th, 2005.
Michael White, 28, was charged with second-degree murder and offering an indignity to a dead body.
 |
Four years after Liana White was reported missing and later found dead, crime reporter Byron Christopher reveals never-known details about the case.
In a report exclusive to the Last Link on the Left, Christopher writes about his relationship with Michael White who was later found guilty of the second-degree murder of his wife.
In a story that casts doubt on the police investigation, Christopher explores how the media, politicians, and the justice system played a role in Michael White's conviction – see the latest update.
ongoing developments | latest update
Of all the homicides that took place in Edmonton in 2005, the case of Liana White gripped the attention of area citizens and Canadians the most.
Liana was four-months pregnant and the mother of a three-year-old daughter when on July 12th, 2005 she seemed to have disappeared into thin air.
The alarm was first raised by White's co-workers at the Royal Alexandra Hospital when the usually punctual White did not show up for her shift.
At about the same time, police received reports about an abandoned SUV in the parking lot of a baseball field behind the Castle Downs YMCA sports centre located near 157 Avenue and 116 Street.
Police found a brown Ford Explorer with the keys inside and the driver door wide open. A purse, some identification and a pair of shoes were found near the vehicle. More identification and a cellphone were found on the ground northwest of the parking lot.
Throughout the day of July 12th, police and volunteers canvassed the area and posted flyers in area stores, bus shelters and the local library. Michael White, Liana's husband, gave frequent media interviews, saying that wherever Liana was "Just stay there and I will find you. I will find you."
For several days the police characterised White's disappearance as a non-criminal matter. Dog teams and the AIR-1 police helicopter scoured the north end of Edmonton.
 |
Also searching the area was Liana's husband, Michael White. Unbeknownst at the time, police were closely watching the man.
On July 17th there were reports that Michael White and his self-organised search team had come across a body near the intersection of Township Road 542 and Range Road 251 (see note).
After the body was found, Michael White was taken into police custody for further questioning. The next morning police announced they had charged White with the murder of his wife.
On July 19th, 2005 police issued statements based on autopsy results.
They confirmed that the body found was that of Liana White and that she appeared to have been involved in a struggle before her death. Exactly how she died was never determined.
A medical examiner at a preliminary hearing speculated she suffered a fatal stab wound to the neck.
Police laid an additional charge of offering an indignity to a dead body, relating to Liana's body being dumped in a rural area.
White's body was "in a state of decomposition" and was identified through dental records.
For a complete recounting of events before the trial of Michael White took place, visit the Last Link Liana White page.
Ongoing Developments
- March 1st, 2006 - preliminary trial begins.
- March 14th, 2006 - preliminary trial concludes.
- May 5th, 2006 - trial date set.
- October 18th, 2006 - radio station interviews subpoenaed.
- October 25th, 2006 - White gets new lawyers.
- October 30th - 31st, 2006 - jury selection.
- November 2nd, 2006 - opening arguments.
- November 3nd, 2006 - testimony began.
- November 7th, 2006 - crime scene photos introduced.
- November 8th, 2006 - DNA expert testified.
- November 9th, 2006 - medical examiner testified.
- November 10th, 2006 - neighbour testified White knew body dump site.
- November 14th, 2006 - witnesses described how Liana's body was found.
- November 15th, 2006 - jury sees SUV caught on surveillance tape.
- November 16th, 2006 - garbage evidence is entered into trial.
- November 21st, 2006 - blood evidence suggests stabbing and clean up.
- November 22nd, 2006 - Liana's co-worker testifies, first White interview tape played.
- November 23rd, 2006 - playing of first White interview tape resumes.
- November 24th, 2006 - White states "I did not kill my wife” on interview tape.
- November 27th, 2006 - Liana White's mother testifies.
- November 28th, 2006 - Michael White takes the stand.
- November 29th, 2006 - Michael White is cross-examined.
- November 30th, 2006 - defence attempts to discredit mother's testimony.
- December 4th, 2006 - defence forensic expert takes the stand.
- December 5th, 2006 - court hears final arguments.
- December 6th, 2006 - jury is charged and begins deliberation.
- December 7th, 2006 - a verdict is reached.
- December 10th, 2006 - Michael White found injured in cell.
- December 13th, 2006 - sentencing arguments and victim impact statements are heard.
- December 15th, 2006 - Michael White is sentenced.
- January 11th, 2007 - Michael White files appeal.
- April 17th, 2007 - high-profile lawyer hoping to take on appeal.
- July 12th, 2007 - public trustee sues Michael White.
- March 27th, 2009 - Michael White's appeal is denied and he grants an exclusive interview.
- July 26th, 2009 - crime reporter Byron Christopher reveals never-known details about the case.
- Remembering Liana White - A lifetime recalled.
- The Real Michael White - An investigation by the Edmonton Journal.
- The Vegreville Observer Article - Poor police work, sloppy media coverage convicted White.
- The Untold Story - A crime reporter reveals never-known details about the case.
March 1st, 2006
Michael White's scheduled month-long preliminary hearing began without a usual publication ban.
Provincial court Judge Michael Stevens-Guille refused to grant the Crown's request for a ban as White's defence lawyer Larry Anderson did not seek one.
Preliminary hearings are held to determine if there is enough evidence to send a case to trial. They also offer the defence a glimpse of the Crown's trial strategy.
Most of the evidence the Crown was expected to introduce at the hearing had already been reported following the February 22nd Alberta Court of Appeal decision to revoke White's bail.
Testimony was heard from persons who called 911 operators about Liana White's abandoned SUV, first officers arriving at the scene, officers who interviewed Michael White, and Dona Piercy, a palm-reader at the Russian Tea Room.
Court also heard from Liana White's mother, Maureen Kelly.
On March 6th, 2006, White’s defence lawyer Larry Anderson asked for – and received – a ban on publication of evidence being presented during the hearing » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
March 14th, 2006
Michael White's preliminary hearing wrapped up with 39 witnesses called by the Crown and none by the defence. The hearing, originally slated to take a month, concluded after just ten days of testimony.
Judge Michael Stevens-Guille committed White to stand trial on charges of second-degree murder and offering an indignity to a dead body.
White was due in court on May 5th, 2006 for formal arraignment. At that time jury selection and trial dates would be determined. Until then White remained in custody » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
May 5th, 2006
Michael White's trial was set to begin November 1st, 2006 and was expected to take four weeks.
Prior to the trial beginning, a special jury-selection process called "challenge for cause" would take place.
Potential jurors, drawn from a pool of about 1,500 likely to be summoned, would be screened for bias due to extensive publicity in the case » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
October 18th, 2006
Ever since he was incarcerated, Michael White made a habit of informing local media of his situation.
One reporter he spoke to frequently was 630 CHED's Byron Christopher.
It seemed Edmonton police were listening and wanted to know more. They served the station with a search warrant » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
October 25th, 2006
Michael White and his longtime lawyer parted ways.
Larry Anderson, a veteran lawyer with 24 years of experience, was appointed a judge to Edmonton's provincial courts.
Lawyers Laura Stevens and Robert Shaigec told Court of Queen's Bench Justice Mary Moreau they would handle White's defence » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
October 30th - 31st, 2006
Jury selection for Michael White's second-degree murder trial began under the watch of Justice Mary Moreau of Court of Queen's Bench.
Prospective jurors were told they would be questioned over two days to determine if they had been affected by media publicity surrounding the case.
A jury pool numbering 215 had been selected for a special process called a "challenge for cause."
A publication ban prevented the reporting of what took place and what specific questions were asked » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 2nd, 2006
Michael White's trial began with lawyers for the Crown and the defence outlining to the jury what they could expect to hear during the scheduled 21 days of his trial.
The Crown's intended case against the accused wife-killer includes surveillance video showing the White family SUV being driven to a recreation field parking lot an hour before it was discovered.
It was said someone other than Liana was captured by a Richard's Pub security camera driving the vehicle. The camera then caught a tall bald man walking away from it.
The Crown announced it would also introduce a literal laundry list of clothing Michael White picked up in a field north of Edmonton and dumped in front of his house.
Inside the bags were paper towels still wet with blood and clumps of hair. The bags also contained a broken lamp, a twin of one found in the White's bedroom, and male clothing also stained with blood.
The Crown told jurors they will hear Liana White died of “homicidal violence,” had two stab wounds to her back and wounds on her fingertips, and likely died from an injury in the neck region.
As the court clerk read out the charges White stood and quietly stated, “I am not guilty” » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 3rd, 2006
Testimony was focused on a number of witnesses who first saw Liana's brown Ford Explorer at about 5:45 a.m. in the parking lot next to a baseball diamond at 157th Avenue and 116th Street.
The most significant testimony came from one of Michael White's neighbours, Paul Beaudoin.
He testified it was about 5 a.m. when he saw White slide through a yield sign at 161st Avenue and Dunluce Road.
Beaudoin thought it odd that White was behind the wheel of Liana's SUV as he usually drove a pick-up truck » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 7th, 2006
The trial of Michael White continued November 6th with closed-door arguments between both sides. At stake was the admissibilty of evidence the Crown planned to introduce during the trial's next-day session.
The trial proper resumed with Paul Beaudoin on the stand facing cross-examination from White's defence lawyer Robert Shaigec.
The trial then focused on the evidence police collected in the White's home and in a ditch along Rural Route 251 at Township Road 542.
Jurors were shown numerous binders containing over 100 crime scene photographs.
A middle-aged juror was observed crying, wiping tears from her face as she looked through the thick binders of photographs documenting the fate of Liana White » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 8th, 2006
The trial continued with more testimony from Edmonton police forensic specialists.
Sgt. Randy Topp received a call that a body had been found on the northern outskirts of Edmonton. He took a police video camera and documented the scene.
Jurors were shown that video and while it only lasted a few minutes, it left a longer and stronger impression on at least one other person in the court room.
Michael White appeared riveted.
Stephen Denison told court of the results of numerous tests he performed on items found by Edmonton police detectives inside two garbage bags that White had set in front of his house.
Key to the Crown's case were a pair of latex gloves.
Dension testified that blood found on the exterior of the gloves matched the DNA of Liana White.
Inside the gloves were fingertip skin cells that matched the DNA of Michael White.
Denison calculated the odds of a mismatch of either individual in the trillions » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 9th, 2006
The Crown's case against Michael White continued with the testimony of Dr. Bernard Bannach, Alberta's assistant chief medical examiner.
Bannach stated that it was difficult to determine the exact cause of death of Liana White due to her body being so decomposed – the result of widespread maggot infestation and scavenging by animals.
He ruled death was the result of homicidal violence – a neck injury – likely a stab wound or strangulation.
The pathologist could not determine a time of death.
Throughout the day's grisly testimony Michael White kept his face turned away from the jury.
At times he appeared to be crying, and was holding his face with his hands and rubbing his eyes with tissues » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 10th, 2006
Appearing on the last day of the second week of the trial were White's neighbour and police officers who first interviewed Liana White's husband.
Next-door neighbour Frank Colautti testified that he and White had built a shared gravel driveway between their houses some time ago.
Colautti and White then dumped the resulting load of dirt and sod at the site where Liana's body was eventually found.
When Liana was reported missing, Colautti joined the search team and helped White and others comb through an area northwest of the city. He said White led the search (see note).
Const. William Allen then told the court how the missing person's case began. Const. Eric Wilde assisted White in filling out a four-page missing persons questionnaire.
White explained he used to be in the military and had special search training. He asked the officers if they would use a grid or spiral technique » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 14th, 2006
Const. George Crawford told court of surveillance that police conducted on Liana White's husband.
Crawford saw White walking into a field of waist-high weeds near 127 Street and north of 167 Avenueand “bending down at the waist and picking up two garbage bags.”
Crawford then observed White load the bags into the back of his pick-up truck and placing the bags near his driveway.
Court earlier heard the two bags contained a broken lamp matching one found in the Whites’ bedroom, blood-stained latex gloves, still-wet bloody paper towels and blood-stained clothing.
On July 17th, just as the police were wrapping up their search efforts for the day, White and his group found Liana’s body near Range Road 251 at Township Road 542.
Barb Ashton, a friend of the White's, testified she was walking in the area when Carol Forbes smelled something "horrible."
Const. James Bell of the Morinville detachment arrived at the site 20 minutes after receiving a 911 call at 4:41 p.m. that Liana's body was discovered.
Bell quoted Michael White making a statement that may ultimately prove to be ironic.
"Mr. White said that he wanted to take photographs of licence plates of people driving by, because people responsible always come back to the scene" » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 15th, 2006
The trial continued with testimony from a police forensics officer who said there were no signs of a struggle inside or outside Liana White's abandoned Ford Explorer when it was examined in the parking lot of a sports recreation field.
Jurors were then shown their second videotape of the trial as the Crown re-focused its attention on the activities of Michael White.
What was seen on the tape was as compelling as it was inconclusive.
It was likely no other crime footage in recent memory had been this collectively and closely scrutinised locally since the Zapruder film.
Sgt. Brian Andersen, a video forensics expert, told the court how police had seized footage taken by a surveillance camera mounted on the roof of Richard's Pub, located a few blocks east of White's home and on a direct route to where Liana's SUV was found.
The officer then presented the low-resolution black-and-white tape, lasting barely seconds over two segments, that showed an SUV driving southeast along 161 Avenue at 4:59 a.m. on July 12th, 2005.
About eleven-and-a-half minutes after the vehicle passed by, the video showed a tall bald man slowly jogging in the opposite direction – northwest and back in the direction of the White residence » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 16th, 2006
On the ninth day of the trial, jurors were faced with a mountain of exhibits – most of which came from the black plastic garbage bags recovered from Michael White's driveway.
Const. Fons Chafe, a city police crime scene examination expert, spent nearly the entire day on the stand explaining to the court what police found and what the 48 items of newly-introduced evidence told them.
Inside the garbage bag were a pair of blood-stained pants. Blood covered the front of the pants to the waist, while on the back it was mainly on the lower part of the legs.
"It would suggest there was a substantial volume of blood present," Chafe said » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 21st, 2006
The trial resumed after a four-day break with more testimony coming from a forsensics expert concerning blood-presence tests conducted inside the White residence.
Court heard from Const. Fons Chafe that visible bloodstains were found on the wall, baseboards, the nightstand as well as on bedding in the couple's master bedroom.
Luminol tests proved positive for blood in the hallways of the house, the entrance, on the garage floor and in the back of Liana White's SUV.
A sample of blood tested at a lab came back with a positive match for Liana White.
Chafe also testified there was evidence of an attempted clean up in the home » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 22nd, 2006
With the forensic evidence now finally dealt with, the trial focused on Liana White herself.
Court heard testimony from a co-worker and the news that Liana had a restraining order against a former boyfriend.
By the end of the day, jurors saw another video tape – this one showing Michael White being formally questioned by police.
The trial continued with testimonies from a trio of detectives assigned to White's case.
It was revealed that police had investigated a second man in connection with the matter.
The annoucement came out when Det. Michael Campeau, the lead investigator handling the case, was on the stand answering defense questions.
Homicide detective Brian Robertson testified he spent hours with Michael White prior to his being charged.
Robertson testified that throughout their time together, White would ask him questions such as 'when he should go back to work?' and 'will police be searching the dump?'
Det. Ernie Schrieber then took the stand to introduce the first taped interview he had with Michael White.
At the start of the video recorded July 12th – the day Liana was reported missing, White was seen breaking down and crying.
"I just want her found, that's it. I wanna know where she is. Where is she? I wanna know, for a person who never unlocks a frigging door, where is she?" » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 23rd, 2006
The trial resumed with the jury viewing the remainder of a video that began the day before.
The long video session, the first of two, began with Det. Ernie Schrieber asking general questions about family routines in the time before Liana disappeared.
Without warning, Schreiber abruptly changes the subject and asks White, "Are you involved in Liana White's disappearance?"
There is a pause before White answers the question, his first two words of denial sounding quiet, hesitant and uncertain. There are long pauses between his responses.
“No, no. How could you ask me that?”
“Uh no. I love my wife. There’s no way I could ever hurt her or anyone else."
Schreiber starts to ask a question but White cuts him off.
"I've got a question now. Am I now a suspect?"
Media cameras were allowed in the courtroom to capture footage from a monitor showing the police interview » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 24th, 2006
The trial continued with the presentation of video tapes showing police interviews with Michael White conducted by Det. Ernie Schreiber.
An hour into an interview held a few hours after Liana's body was found, Schreiber brought White to making a voluntary statement regarding his culpability in his wife's death.
Schreiber: There’s all kinds of reasons why things happen ....
White: Please don’t do that.
White: I did not – I did not kill my wife.
Schreiber: Did she die as a result of the actions of a person who doesn't care about her at all?
Schreiber: You've got some pretty big shoulders, Mike. But I can't imagine the weight that's on them now.
White: Okay. I haven't done anything.
White: I will prove and go back and put myself in her place ... if I could have. If I could. And I hope to » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 27th, 2006
The last witness on the Crown's list took the stand.
Court heard testimony from Maureen Kelly, Liana White's mother.
On the stand, Kelly told how Michael came home from work on July 12th after being notified by police that Liana was missing.
She said he took a shower and shaved his head, telling her he 'felt dirty.' He repeated the phrase several times.
However, Kelly said White's hands were clean.
Kelly said White went downstairs to his home office and sorted through some papers.
He turned on the TV and after 15 minutes fell asleep.
"Mike, there's a lot of evidence against you," Kelly said.
"Police twist things around," White replied » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 28th, 2006
Michael White took the stand in his own defence. The courtroom was packed with onlookers; many were turned away.
White offered explanations in an effort to refute evidence presented by the Crown.
The matter of the garbage bags, he suggested, was an issue of conscience for having dumped household waste in a suburban field.
White said he and his wife used to dump garbage, such as grass clippings and used oil filters, in an area his search team was about to go through.
Embarrassed by his environmental unfriendliness, White went into the area late on July 14th, 2005 expecting to find an abundance of refuse. Instead he only found two bags.
"This is ours," he remembered thinking.
He then testified the bags were full of bloody rags and paper towels – not from a murder – but from a nosebleed » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 29th, 2006
Couillard: You killed your wife, didn't you?
White: No, I did not kill my wife. I have never touched her, hurt her, pushed her, anything sir.
Couillard: You packed up those things in the garbage bag. You took her body out to the Poundmaker Road.
White: No sir. I did not.
Couillard: You had to get rid of those garbage bags because you knew there was going to be a search.
White: No sir, that is not true.
Couillard: You dumped her vehicle at the ball diamond. You staged the robbery. You left all her stuff lying around.
White: No sir.
By the end of his cross-examination, the only constant that remained in White's various statements was his proclamation of innocence » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
November 30th, 2006
The trial continued on what was supposed to be its second to last day.
Michael White moved from the witness stand back to his usual place in the prisoner's box.
With the highly-anticipated testimony and cross-examination of the accused now completed, the defence moved forward again by calling three witnesses it hoped would discredit Liana White's mother.
Two volunteer members of the Edmonton police victims services unit and a forensics officer were questioned and gave answers that contradict Maureen Kelly's previous testimony » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
December 4th, 2006
Dr. Jon Nordby, an independent consultant in crime scene analysis and forensic science who helped process human remains at the World Trade Centre towers in New York after September 11th, 2001, took the stand for the defence.
According to the expert, there was not enough blood present in the White's home for a stabbing to have occurred.
“I’m left with a question: Where’s the blood?” Nordby asked.
Nordby was critical of police methods, and asked why floorboards in the White's master bedroom were not removed to locate more evidence of a heavy blood loss » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
December 5th, 2006
Final arguments in the trial of Michael White set the stage for the jury's role in determining the accused wife-killer's fate.
Defence lawyer Laura Stevens told the court her client was not a cunning man and said the Crown's case against him was inconclusive.
Crown prosecutor Troy Couillard told the jury there was no reasonable doubt Michael White killed Liana.
"It all points to Michael White," said Couillard. "Is this because it's a tragic series of coincidences?"
"It points to him because he's guilty. He killed her, and he meant to do it" » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
December 6th, 2006
At 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom 417 of Edmonton's Provincial Court building, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Mary Moreau charged the jury of the Michael White murder trial.
Moreau completed her legal instructions three hours later and sent the seven men and five women to lunch.
They were then sequestered to begin their deliberations » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
December 7th, 2006
On the morning of the twenty-first day of the trial of Michael White the jury was still sequestered and trying to reach a verdict.
After deliberating for nearly seven hours the day before, the jury retired for the night and were put up at a hotel.
Media, Edmonton citizens and Michael White continued to wait for word that seven men and five women had reached a verdict.
At 1:30 p.m. the jury announced it had reached a consensus » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
December 10th, 2006
630 CHED Radio and CTV Edmonton News reported that Michael White was found injured in his cell at the Edmonton Remand Centre.
The stations quoted Edmonton police sources as saying White was treated in hospital for non-life threatening injuries » full details »
The Edmonton Journal published two extensive articles about the lives of Liana and Michael White.
back to ongoing developments menu
December 13th, 2006
Sentencing arguments and victim impact statements were heard in the next-to-final chapter of the trial of Michael White.
Liana's mother, Maureen Kelly, told court of the day police told her that her daughter's body had been found.
White's statement stopped short of admitting any guilt in his wife's murder.
The Crown and the defence then made their recommendations for sentencing » full details »
The Vegreville Observer reported that Michael White was the victim of poor police work and sloppy reporting by the media.
back to ongoing developments menu
December 15th, 2006
Justice Mary Moreau of Court of Queen's Bench announced her sentencing decision.
“The crime was brutal and callous,” Moreau said, “with signs of struggle evident on the body by way of defensive wounds along with non-fatal penetration wounds, at least one of them sustained prior to death” » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
January 11th, 2007
Michael White filed an appeal of his second-degree murder conviction for killing his pregnant wife Liana. He also sought to amend the terms of his parole eligibility which was set at 17 years » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
April 17th, 2007
630 CHED Radio broke the story that high-profile defence lawyer Hersh Wolch was seeking to represent Michael White through his appeal process.
Wolch was best known for his work for David Milgaard » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
July 12th, 2007
Two years to the day after his wife was first reported missing the Public Trustee for Alberta launched a $727,000 lawsuit against Michael White.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Liana Clarissa White's estate, the couple's five-year-old daughter Ashley and Liana's mother Maureen Kelly » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
March 27th, 2009
On October 29th, 2008 Michael White's appeal to overturn his conviction and get a new trial was heard.
It took Crown prosecutor James Robb and defence lawyer Hersh Wolch only 90 minutes to outline their arguments. It then took the three-judge Court of Appeal of Alberta five months to issue their decision – that White's appeal had been rejected.
Sitting in the Edmonton Institution, Michael White immediately got a call from his lawyer telling him the bad news. The next day, White called Byron Christopher and granted the Edmonton crime reporter an exclusive interview » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
July 26th, 2009
Four years after Liana White was reported missing and later found dead, crime reporter Byron Christopher reveals never-known details about the case.
In a report exclusive to the Last Link on the Left, Christopher writes about his relationship with Michael White who was later found guilty of the second-degree murder of his wife.
In a story that casts doubt on the police investigation, Christopher explores how the media, politicians, and the justice system played a role in Michael White's conviction » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
Remembering Liana White
Throughout media coverage of the Michael White trial, viewers and readers were shown a number of images and photographs of Liana in life.
As the trial progressed, new images were seemingly added on a nearly daily basis, forming a collective memory of a life cut short.
Those images and photographs have been gathered as a tribute to the slain woman » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
The Real Michael White
In an attempt to unravel the mystery of Michael White, two Edmonton media outlets spoke to those close to White and close to the investigation.
Edmonton Journal reporters David Staples and Jamie Hall dug deep into White's past and interviewed many old family friends in his childhood town.
The journalists painted White as a man prone to greed and used to getting out of tight spots with a quick lie while often playing the victim of false accusation.
They suggested Liana placed him in such a small corner that his first response was to silence her, and then figure a way out of it later.
CBC Edmonton carried an exclusive interview with the police homicide detective who was seen questioning White on interrogation tapes shown to the jury » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
The Vegreville Observer Article
On December 13th, 2006 The Vegreville Observer reported that Michael White was the victim of poor police work and sloppy reporting by the media.
The article quotes White's civil lawyer Marilyn Burns who blames media companies for "creating interesting stories" that may have misled the public.
The article also refers to other police investigations that have accused, and in some cases helped convict, innocent persons » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
The Untold Story
Four years after Liana White was reported missing and later found dead, crime reporter Byron Christopher revealed never-known details about the case.
In a report exclusive to the Last Link on the Left, Christopher writes about his relationship with Michael White who was later found guilty of the second-degree murder of his wife.
In a story that casts doubt on the police investigation, Christopher explores how the media, politicians, and the justice system played a role in Michael White's conviction » full details »
back to ongoing developments menu
All the information presented on this page has been compiled primarily from published media reports and should not be interpreted as having legal bearing or other prejudice against individuals named on this web site.
The Last Link on the Left practices fair presentation and the disclosure of relevant interests.
Mouseover for image credits.
movies | television | radio | web watch | final credits | edmonton | about this site | site map | contact us
The Last Link on the Left. Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009. Stuart P. Bayens. All rights reserved.
This page updated
22:09 2009-07-25.