Hard to Stomach

The Case of Steven Truscott

Abstract

On September 30, 1959, Steven Truscott was declared guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death by hanging. Some of the critical evidence used in his case was provided from an analysis of stomach contents during the autopsy. This analysis was used to estimate time of death to a small window that overlapped with eyewitness testimonies, making Truscott seem undeniably guilty. Almost 50 years later, Truscott appealed his case and was acquitted. New evidence regarding the legitimacy of post-mortem stomach content analysis was presented, and the original testimony was determined to be insufficient evidence. This case became infamous in Canadian history and led to recommendations regarding the use of gastric evidence in the legal system.