In a significant judicial reversal, Josue Sic, 48, has been released from custody after the High Court nullified his prior conviction for sexual assault against a minor. The landmark decision was handed down on December 18th by Justice Candace Nanton, who authored a comprehensive 27-page ruling declaring the original verdict “unsafe” and fundamentally unreliable.
The appellate court identified substantial merit in two critical grounds of appeal presented by the defense, ultimately determining that these issues compromised the integrity of the conviction. Consequently, the court vacated both the conviction and the two-year prison sentence that had been imposed. Justice Nanton explicitly stated that given this determination, the court found it unnecessary to evaluate whether the initial sentence had been excessively severe.
The judicial proceedings have been temporarily adjourned pending a determination on whether the prosecution will pursue a retrial. For the interim, the court has ruled that each party will assume responsibility for their respective legal expenses. Records indicate that Mr. Sic had previously been released on bail in February after obtaining a stay of execution while his appeal was under judicial review.