McGill law students petition for a paroled murderer's return to class

Jeffrey George Ewert, about 60, began law studies at McGill University in September. He was convicted in the 1980s of murder and attempted murder in attacks on two women in British Columbia, one of them 15.

Years in federal prison

40 years

Ewert spent 40 years in federal prison and has been on day parole since 2025. Security guards escorted him off campus on Oct 6, and he has not been back.

A petition started by law student Raymond Johnson-Brown asks McGill to let him resume his studies, with a fair and transparent process. It has 128 signatures from law students.

Students are divided: some defend second chances and rehabilitation, others say they would not feel safe in class with him.

What's next

McGill says privacy laws keep it from discussing the case and that student safety comes first. No formal decision has been made, and the university will review its admissions process.