Overturned manslaughter conviction, landlords take on City of Windsor, pentalty for police officer donating to 'Freedom Convoy': Top Windsor stories this week

A manslaughter conviction overturned, landlords take on the City of Windsor over new residential rental licence bylaw, and a Windsor police officer will need to work unpaid hours as penalty for a donation to the ‘'Freedom Convoy.'

Here’s a look at the top stories on ctvnewswindsor.ca this week.

Landlords vs. the city: Windsor’s new rental bylaw to be challenged in court

For rent sign (Getty Images stock photo) Hundreds of landlords are taking the city of Windsor to court over its new residential rental licence bylaw.

“The Windsor Housing Providers are a group of about 200 landlords in the city of Windsor who are concerned that this bylaw is illegal and improper,” said Steven Pickard, the lawyer representing Windsor Housing Providers Inc.

The bylaw is a two-year pilot study focused on properties in wards 1 and 2, which are areas that contain a high concentration of student housing. Its goal is to improve the safety of housing, but some landlords believe the bylaw is overreaching.

Charges laid after Highway 401 crash

Traffic is backed up in the westbound lanes of Highway 401 after a multi-vehicle crash on April 30, 2023. (Source: @_OnLocation_/Twitter)A Windsor man is charged after a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 401 over the weekend.

Just before 6 p.m. on Sunday, OPP, fire and EMS responded to the westbound lanes of the 401 just east of Highway 77 in Lakeshore.

According to police, two cars and a tractor-trailer were involved in the collision. Two occupants of a passenger vehicle were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

'I don't know what to feel': Former Windsorite learns father died in prison while serving life sentence

Kate Hawley says her grandmother, Gertrude was a like a second mother to her. (Image Courtesy: Kate Hawley)A former Windsorite is sharing her story after learning her father died in prison while serving a life sentence for murdering her grandmother.

Damian Hawley, 62, was found "unresponsive" in the cell of his B.C. prison on April 29, 2023.

His daughter, Kate Hawley, spoke with CTV News Wednesday from her home in Rogersville, NB.

"I thought one day I would get to talk to him when he would have gotten out of prison,” said Kate. “Just ask him why?”

Her father was serving a life sentence for killing his mother, Gertrude Hawley, Kate’s grandmother.

Manslaughter conviction overturned for Windsor man facing 15 years in prison

Dia Hanan walks into a courthouse in Windsor on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. (Michelle Maluske / CTV Windsor)The Supreme Court of Canada (SOC) has ruled Dia Hanan was denied his charter right to a trial within 30 months.

Hanan, 39, was charged with first degree murder and weapons offences for the Dec. 23, 2015 shooting death of Alekesji Guzhavin of London.

An American man, Gregory Henriquez was also shot, but survived although he is now paralyzed.

Hanan was convicted by a jury of manslaughter and other weapon offences in November 2019 and then sentenced to 15 years in prison in March 2020.

In a Case Brief released Friday, the SOC has determined too much time passed between Hanan being charged and tried.

Windsor officer to work unpaid hours as penalty for 'Freedom Convoy' donation

Day 10 of the Freedom Convoy demonstration in downtown Ottawa in February 2022. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)A Windsor police officer will have to work unpaid hours as a penalty for donating to the Freedom Convoy.

Const. Michael Brisco was previously convicted of discreditable conduct under the Police Services Act (PSA).

Brisco donated $50 through GiveSendGo to the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa on Feb. 7, 2022.

At the time, he was off on unpaid leave because he could not meet the requirements of the Windsor Police Service COVID-19 vaccination policy.

At a penalty hearing Thursday, lawyers submitted two different requests for the exact number of penalty hours to the adjudicator, retired OPP Superintendent Morris Elbers.