Sister of late Russell Woodhouse wants to set record straight on 1973 manslaughter charge: affidavit

The younger sister of a First Nations man convicted of manslaughter in the 1970s has taken his case back to the Manitoba Court of Appeal 15 years after his death. Russell Woodhouse, a member of Pinaymootang First Nation, was one of four to receive sentences following the 1973 Winnipeg murder of Ting Fong Chan. While Woodhouse received 10 years in prison for manslaughter, his brother, Clarence Woodhouse; cousin, Brian Anderson; and fellow community member Allan Woodhouse (unrelated), were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Innocence Canada, a legal non-profit organization that advocates for the exoneration of individuals who have been wrongly convicted, began to file applications to review the murder cases in 2019. In 2023, Anderson and Allan Woodhouse were acquitted. Clarence Woodhouse was acquitted soon after, in 2024. Now, Lisa Anderson, Russel and Clarence’s youngest sister, is returning to the Court of Appeal to have the outstanding case reassessed. Lisa chose to take his place in court as his next of kin. He died of cancer in 2011, and the two “were always very close and remained close” until his death, she wrote in an affidavit filed in Winnipeg on Thursday. “I looked out for them [Russell and Clarence] despite being the youngest sibling. When we were in school, I was always protective of Russell and stood up to students who picked on him,” she wrote. “I supported my brothers and my cousin through their trial and continued to stand by them after they were convicted because I always believed in their innocence.” Russell was sentenced to 10 years in prison and released on parole. Following his release, Lisa said he “became withdrawn from his community and friends. “He trusted no one, but he opened up to me and spoke to me about his challenges. We supported each other and maintained a close bond … he never wavered in protesting his innocence of Mr. Chan’s murder,” according to the affidavit. She wrote that “It is important to [Russell’s] memory that his appeal be heard and adjudicated by this Court,” as he is the last person involved in Chan’s murder to have his case reassessed. “Clarence Woodhouse, Brian Anderson, and Allan Woodhouse all lived to attend before Chief Justice Joyal for their acquittals,” she wrote. “Of the four, only Russell is deceased. As his next of kin and closest surviving relative, I would be honoured to act as his representative. I have been closely involved in his case for more than 50 years and I wish to continue his appeal for him.” Clarence Woodhouse outside the Winnipeg courthouse on Oct. 3, 2024 after being found not guilty in 2024. Photo: APTN File. Acquitted men get $4 million each from province Brian Anderson, Allan, and Clarence went on to sue the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba and the federal government in 2024, resulting in a global settlement in their favour. In a recently released financial report, Manitoba confirmed it had paid the men a settlement of $4 million each, according to the Justice section of its Vendor Payments over $50,000 report for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. APTN reached out to the province for further comment, but a spokesperson declined, stating “the settlement speaks for itself.” This is a change from the provincial government’s previous stance on the matter. In January 2025, APTN reported that, according to a statement of defense filed by Manitoba at the time, the province claimed it was “not responsible” for any “loss or damage sustained by the plaintiff,” and that it had filed a cross-claim against the City of Winnipeg and Attorney General of Canada, asserting that they pay instead. The men convicted of murder were prosecuted by George Dangerfield, a former Manitoba Crown prosecutor who was involved in seven known cases of wrongful conviction. During their exoneration, the executive director of Manitoba Prosecution Service had confirmed their confessions had been “entirely manufactured.” In September 2025, Winnipeg’s Executive Policy Committee also determined it would pay the men $7 million, to be split among the three. The motion was moved forward by Mayor Scott Gillingham, who said he was in support of these decisions “not being held in black boxes,” during the meeting. The federal government has not disclosed the dollar amount it has paid towards the global settlement for privacy reasons. APTN also reached out to James Lockyer with Innocence Canada but he declined to comment at this time. Tags: Allan Woodhouse, Brian Anderson, City of Winnipeg, Clarence Woodhouse, George Dangerfield, Innocence Canada, Manitoba, Manitoba Court of Appeal, Manitoba government, Russell Woodhouse, Winnipeg Law Courts, wronful conviction Continue Reading