Nelson Hart
Encyclopedia
Nelson Hart is a Gander
Newfoundland
, Canada
resident who was convicted on 28 March 2007 of murdering his three-year-old twin daughters in 2002.
on Gander Lake
. Nelson returned home in a panic and said that Krista had fallen in the lake. Hart returned to Gander to get help, but when police arrived, Karen was dead and Krista was unconscious. The next day she was taken off life support
.
, he had suffered a seizure and couldn't recall how the girls ended up in the water. He claimed that he lied to avoid losing his driver's license.
By February 2005, the police hadn't made much more progress in the case, so they decided to launch an elaborate undercover operation which would end up costing over CAD
$400,000. It began with Hart being approached in a parking lot by an undercover agent, and eventually being asked to run a delivery for what he was told was an organized crime
group. Over a period of four months, the agents would continue the operation and get closer to Hart, and led him to believe that he was becoming more accepted in the organization. After four months, the supposed leader of the group asked Hart a question he was told would test his loyalty. It was at this time he was asked about the murder of his daughters, and with some detail described the scenario, eventually taking some of the agents to the scene of the crime. The jury
at the trial was able to watch the confession taped from a hidden camera in the hotel where Hart described the murder.
in no less than 25 years. Hart did not testify in his own defense during the trial, as the judge refused to close the court to spectators during his testimony.
to the guilty verdict, claiming that the videotaped confessions were not admissible. It also claims that the judge should have closed the court to allow Hart to testify during the trial.
Gander
-Canada:* Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, a town in Canada** Gander , a provincial electoral district** Gander Academy, an elementary school in Gander** Gander Collegiate, a high school in Gander...
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
resident who was convicted on 28 March 2007 of murdering his three-year-old twin daughters in 2002.
Background
Nelson Hart lived with his wife, Jennifer, and twin daughters, Karen and Krista, in the town of Gander, Newfoundland, Canada. Tammy Leonard, a social worker, was working with the Hart family in the months leading up to the death of the twins. She testified that the Harts were having chronic financial problems and were on social assistance. There was consideration on behalf of the social workers to remove the children from the family before they moved in with Jennifer Hart's father. In June 2002, the family found themselves homeless again, and the possibility of the children's removal was revisited. By mid-summer, the Hart family was living in an apartment and receiving regular visits from a new social worker, Carolyn Chard, who testified that Nelson appeared increasingly angry with her presence. At no time did either social worker think that Hart posed any danger to his children.Death of twin daughters
On 4 August 2002, Hart and his daughters traveled to the near-by area of Little HarbourLittle Harbour (Gander Lake)
Little Harbour is a small unattended recreation area situated on Gander Lake, near Gander, Newfoundland. Access to this area is via a 1.5 kilometer gravel road from Route 1 ....
on Gander Lake
Gander Lake
Gander Lake is located in the central part of the Canadian island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the third-largest lake on Newfoundland....
. Nelson returned home in a panic and said that Krista had fallen in the lake. Hart returned to Gander to get help, but when police arrived, Karen was dead and Krista was unconscious. The next day she was taken off life support
Life support
Life support, in medicine is a broad term that applies to any therapy used to sustain a patient's life while they are critically ill or injured. There are many therapies and techniques that may be used by clinicians to achieve the goal of sustaining life...
.
Investigation and undercover operation
In the initial questioning, Hart claimed that his daughter had fallen into the lake, but months later changed his story to say, that being an epilepticEpilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
, he had suffered a seizure and couldn't recall how the girls ended up in the water. He claimed that he lied to avoid losing his driver's license.
By February 2005, the police hadn't made much more progress in the case, so they decided to launch an elaborate undercover operation which would end up costing over CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
$400,000. It began with Hart being approached in a parking lot by an undercover agent, and eventually being asked to run a delivery for what he was told was an organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
group. Over a period of four months, the agents would continue the operation and get closer to Hart, and led him to believe that he was becoming more accepted in the organization. After four months, the supposed leader of the group asked Hart a question he was told would test his loyalty. It was at this time he was asked about the murder of his daughters, and with some detail described the scenario, eventually taking some of the agents to the scene of the crime. The jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
at the trial was able to watch the confession taped from a hidden camera in the hotel where Hart described the murder.
- "This is just about the perfect murder," the officer said.
- "It was pretty well-organized," Hart replied.
- "You must be a thinker, eh?" the officer said.
- "Sometimes it pays to be that way."
Conviction
On 13 June 2005, Hart was charged with first degree murder, and his trial began on 27 February 2007. His lawyer claimed that Hart was intimidated by the undercover agents and made up the story to impress them. Ultimately, the jury did not believe this and other claims, and on 28 March 2007 gave the verdict of guilty, and automatically sentenced him to life in prison with the eligibility of paroleParole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
in no less than 25 years. Hart did not testify in his own defense during the trial, as the judge refused to close the court to spectators during his testimony.
Appeal
On 11 April 2007, Hart filed an appealAppeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
to the guilty verdict, claiming that the videotaped confessions were not admissible. It also claims that the judge should have closed the court to allow Hart to testify during the trial.