Some McGill University law students are calling on the school to allow a convicted murderer on day parole to return to his studies, as controversy over his admission continues to divide students.
Jeffrey George Ewert, now in his 60s, began studying in McGill’s law faculty in September. He was convicted in the 1980s of second-degree murder and attempted murder involving violent attacks on two women, one of whom was 15 years old.
Ewert spent 40 years in federal prison and was granted day parole in 2025. News of his studies spread in early October and he has since been barred from campus.
The revelation has prompted sharply divided reactions among students.
McGill student Leah Kropf told Global News “it’s scary and it’s kind of unbelievable,” that many students apply and aren’t accepted, but Ewert was.
Other students have defended Ewert’s opportunity to pursue an education.
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“I believe in second chances. I believe in rehabilitation,” McGill student Ines Keita said. “People make mistakes and I also feel like if he got liberated, he has the right to rehab, do something with his life and get an education.”
But student Isabelle Munoz said she isn’t comfortable with the idea. “I would not feel safe being in class with him. I would not feel safe being on campus around him,” she said.
But some students within the law faculty are now pushing for Ewert to be allowed to return. Law student Raymond Johnson-Brown, who met Ewert a year ago, has started a petition urging McGill to allow him to resume his studies. The petition has collected 128 signatures from law students.
“We know that education supports reintegration,” Johnson-Brown said. “I do have faith in the criminal justice system that there are checks and balances to ensure the safety, that if there is any gross misconduct, that he would immediately return to jail,” he said.
McGill told Global News that privacy laws prevented it from discussing individual student cases, but said the safety and security of its students is paramount.
The university also said it would actively review its admissions processes to ensure a similar situation does not happen again.
In a letter sent to students over the weekend, the McGill administration said it remained committed to second chances and the power of education to transform lives. It also said student safety comes first and the matter was being reviewed by the university.
Constitutional lawyer Julius Grey said proper rehabilitation reduces recidivism and argued Ewert should be allowed to continue his studies.
“This man has to be somewhere. He has to be able to earn a living, and I believe that we have to unfortunately be less sensitive about these risks,” Grey said.
