John Joseph Harper

John Joseph Harper
see caption
Born
John Joseph Harper

(1951-12-30)30 December 1951
Wasagamack, Manitoba, Canada
Died9 March 1988(1988-03-09) (aged 36)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Children3

John Joseph "J.J." Harper (December 30, 1951 – March 9, 1988) was a Canadian aboriginal leader from Wasagamack, Manitoba, who was shot and killed by Winnipeg police constable Constable Robert Cross on March 9, 1988.[1] That event, along with the murder of Helen Betty Osborne, sparked the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry.[2]

During an altercation between Police and Harper, Cross shot and killed Harper. It was initially ruled an accident; however, a strong public outcry lead to the Native American Justice Inquiry. The inquiry eventually concluded that Cross had used excessive force in the fatal confrontation.[3]

Personal life

Harper was a member of the Wasagamack First Nation. He was also executive director of the Island Lake Tribal Council and a leader in Manitoba's indigenous community. He and his wife Lois had three children together.[4] On August 2, 2008, over 20 years after Harper was killed,[5] his nephew Craig McDougall was also shot and killed by Winnipeg Police.[6]

Legacy

Harper's shooting was described in a 1999 book, Cowboys & Indians: The Killing of J.J. Harper, written by Winnipeg Free Press columnist Gordon Sinclair Jr., and later a 2003 television movie by the same name. It was directed by Norma Bailey and starred Adam Beach as Harper.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Inquiry needed into police violence against Indigenous peoples". Canadian Dimension. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  2. ^ Sawatzky, Wendy (2003-03-07). "J.J. Harper: 15 Years Later". CBC News. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
  3. ^ "The recent past". The City of Winnipeg. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  4. ^ "The Death of John Joseph Harper". The Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  5. ^ "McDougall inquest delayed after witness changes account of police shooting". CBC News. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  6. ^ "'Police shot JJ Harper's nephew'". CTV News. 4 August 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  7. ^ Cowboys and Indians: The J.J. Harper Story, Internet Movie Database