CALGARY — David Milgaard and his wife are in love and are anxious to get back together after an alleged domestic dispute, his lawyer said Thursday.
Milgaard, who spent 23 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit, was charged last week with assault, assault with a weapon and uttering threats in an alleged fight involving his wife Cristina last week. There were no injuries.
Lawyer Hersh Wolch made a brief court appearance on Milgaard’s behalf and had the matter put over for 24 hours.
“Both David and his wife are very anxious to get back together,” Wolch told reporters.
“There’s a no-contact (order) in effect right now as a matter of caution, but we provided a report which suggests that contact is desirable and I’m advised that David’s wife has spoken to all the authorities and said, ’Look, I really want him home.”’
Milgaard, who is 59 and has two young children, was released on his own recognizance after being charged.
Court records indicate he has been ordered to stay at least 300 metres away from the home in Calgary that he shares with his family. Wolch said Milgaard has been staying with friends.
Milgaard was wrongfully convicted of the 1969 murder of Saskatoon nursing aide Gail Miller and spent 23 years in prison before he was released.
DNA evidence eventually cleared his name and led to the conviction of serial rapist Larry Fisher.
“He’s never fully recovered from what was done to him. He feels that much of this is way out of proportion and is more in his mind like innuendo, gossip and it’s a private matter that he’d like to deal with in a positive way with his wife,” said Wolch.