Man released from prison after 3 decades narrowly avoids more jail time

Danile Jolivet speaks to CTV News in hew new home after being released from prison. (CTV News)

A Montreal man released from prison after spending 33 years behind bars was admitted to hospital Monday just as a judge was about to hear a request to have his two sureties removed.

Daniel Jolivet was released last December after Quebec’s Crown prosecution office determined that the 68-year-old man might have been a victim of a miscarriage of justice after being convicted of a quadruple murder in 1994.

A judge agreed to grant him bail on a list of several conditions, one of which is that he remains supervised by two court-appointed sureties who are responsible for ensuring that he follows the conditions of his release.

However, the two sureties filed a motion last Thursday asking to be relieved of their duties for reasons that have not been publicly disclosed.

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Jolivet could have been put in handcuffs during a court appearance on Monday and sent back to jail, but instead he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Montreal, according to his lawyer, Nicholas St- Jacques.

Jolivet’s fate has been hanging in the hands of the federal justice minister, who will have to decide whether to order a new trial for Jolivet, refer his case to the Quebec Court of Appeal, or take no action and let Jolivet walk free.

Waiting for that decision since Dec. 19, 2025, has weighed heavily on him, his lawyer told CTV News on Monday evening.

“Being in a state of uncertainty is very difficult for a person like Mr. Jolivet. Still waiting to know if he’s going to go back to detention for the rest of his life or if he’s able to continue living his life outside of the walls, you know. So, it’s very stressful and there’s a lot of anxiety, and you know, I think his mental state is being affected by all this,” St-Jacques said.

It could take up to 12 months for a decision in this case to be made, but he said he hopes one will come much sooner.

Living life on the outside and adapting to a new world has not been easy, St-Jacques said.

“You know, 33 years in detention, it leaves [you] with a lot of wounds,” the lawyer added.

“It’s complicated what he feels. We might think he’s very happy being outside one day, [but] he might not be, in his head, you know, because he’s feeling all these different emotions at the same time, so it’s very complicated.”

Jolivet’s case will return to court once he is released from hospital.