The Pas, Manitoba, Canada.
The four go home to sleep off their drunk, not knowing that the next morning her body has been found, by a small boy and his father.. At first, Lee, feeling guilty and not knowing how to deal with it ; tells friends at school what happened. But in time, all four go to a lawyer, because the police are questioning them. Their lawyer advises them to keep quiet, and say nothing. Since no one witnessed the crime; if they keep silent they will remain free. People in the town , also, know many details of the killing, but all remain quiet in a ...conspiracy of silence...
.............................
The years pass, and three of the killers move to other parts of the country, marry and start families putting the killing behind them. Lee stays in The Pas, marries and has a son. The killing weight heavily on Lee's mind, and he sinks deeper and deeper into alcoholism. He eventually looses his family, his job and all self respect and, finally, is forced to move back into his parents house. It is at this point , that a new RCMP officer comes to town, and re-opens the murder case. Enough years have passed, that the people who feared telling what they knew about the murder have had a change of heart...they begin, one by one, to tell the police what they know... and are surprised that "... the police didn't already know what everyone in town had known for years..."
Lee is arrested, and the police find and arrest the other three. After, being sent to a sanitarium for alcoholics to "dry out". Lee becomes the Crown's star witness. Two of the four men are put on trial, Dwayne Johnston and Jim Houghton ( Lee's best friend and neighbor) , with Norm Manger and Lee Colgen testifying against them. Houghton is found "not guilty" of the murder and is released ; but Johnston is found guilty of the girls murder, and is sent to prison.
Lifetime has a Conspiracy of Silence page,
and a short quiz.
Click here
and let them know that MM appeared on "Strong Medicine"
Lee Colgan and Jim Houghton, after the murder.
Lee and bride ... just after the wedding
Lee and his wife, Sandy ; having marital problems. Lee's drinking and feeling of guilt, destroy their relationship...
Tansi Kitty (conspiracy of silence) No body can't keep quiet. I
am
native from Pukatawagan Manitoba. Many of us suffer under the hands of
the white man. I was one of Betty friend in The Pas Manitoba. Still
today
I am very mad at the Justis System that fail the natives. Someday
their
children will hear about what happened in The Pas Manitoba. No matter
were
they go and live happly ever after. They will hunt them for
ever and ever.
Their childrens childrens what my great grandfather said don't worry.
This
will always catch up to them they can't hide.
Ekosi
a friend from the past
~~~~~~~~~~~~
2830 Date: 2003-03-08 23:20:28
Michael Mahonen
Hi all
I hope everyone is doing well. I agree with what Shirley said about not being able to conceal the truth and what was said about good being met with good and evil being met with evil until the balance has been met in full.
I have chosen to forgive those who I thought had done me wrong in the past. This has not been easy in certain instances, but I feel that things will balance in time without my encouraging the cycle to continue.
MM
Conspiracy of Silence (miniseries)
In a small Canadian town in 1971, four young men brutally
murdered
Cree teenager, Helen Betty Osborne. They take a vow of silence and
never
speak of the murder again. But, sixteen years later, a new member of
the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police cracks the case and reveals the
murderers.
Michael
Mahonen, Jonathan Potts, Ian Tracey and Diego Chambers.
1992/Drama
Actor and the role ...
Michael Mahonen .... Lee Colgan
Carl Marotte.... Const. Mike Hall
Stephen Ouimette .... Const. Steve Frishbilski
Ian Tracey .... Dwayne Johnston
Maury Chaykin .... D'Arcy Bancroft (Dwayne Johnston'slawyer)
Jonathan Potts .... Jim Houghton
Diego Chambers .... Norm Manger
Neil Munro .... RCMP Sgt. Murchison
Steve Mousseau .... Const. Robert Dubeck
Jani Lauzon .... Marie
Dawn Greenhalgh .... Joyce Colgan
James B. Douglas .... Harold 'Bud' Colgan
Michael Ball.... Sgt. Thomas Doyle
Catherine Disher .... Sherrie Linder
Brooke Johnson .... Angie
( Road to Avonlea's David Fox's wife)
Monique Mojica .... Justine Osborne
Michelle St. John.... Helen Betty Osborne
Paula Barrett .... CBC reporter
Richard Blackburn .... Ed Kirkby
Mary Ann Coles .... Raylene Kubiak
Roger Dunn .... George Kubiak
Deni DeLory .... Lisa
Gillian Doria .... Soap actress #2
Diane Fabian .... Dee #2 (singer at Rick's wedding)
Colin Fox .... George Dangerfield
Peter Graham .... Curtis
Alyson Green .... Shannon Houghton
Louise Kidney .... Sandy Purdy Colgan
Kirsten Kieferle .... Lori
François Klanfer .... Mel Freidman
Bill McDermott .... Government minister
Dean McDermott .... Const. Dutton
Kim Nelle .... Patricia Johnston
Sharon Noble.... Marge
Nicholas Pasco .... Gary
Jennifer Podemski .... Cecilia
Maggie Pringle .... Dee #1 ( singer at Rick's wedding)
Jonathon Whittaker.... CTV reporter
Lenore Zann .... Soap actress #1
rest of cast listed alphabetically
Andrew Arcand .... Cornelius Bighetty
Lawrence Bayne .... Jordan
Chris Benson .... Const. Lambert
John Boylan .... Crown Attorney (1972)
Tracey Brett .... Linette
Michael Caruana .... Forensics expert
Allan Clow .... Donnie
Christopher Earle .... Const. Cousins
Craig Eldridge .... Const. Langley
Donna Farron.... Mrs. Benson
John Friesen .... McGillivary
Steve Lucescu .... Constable
Christopher Marren.... Const. MacKenzie
Bruce McFee .... Const. Myles
Leon Pownall .... Donald MacIver (as Leon Powell)
Richard Sali .... Priest
Joseph Scoren.... Rick Colgan (as Joseph Scorsiani)
Tia Smith .... Cecilia Osborne
Glyn Stephens .... Bar singer
Directed by ...Francis Mankiewicz
Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Suzette Couture.... script
Lisa Priest ... novel
Bernard Zukerman... Producer
Ralph Brunjes ... Editor
Glen Mac Pherson ...Cimematographer