In 2008, Nicole Doucet — then known as Nicole Ryan — was arrested in Nova Scotia after attempting to hire someone to kill her husband, Michael Ryan. The “hit man” turned out to be an undercover RCMP officer, and the shocking plot sparked national attention.

But this wasn’t a simple revenge story. At trial, Doucet claimed she had endured years of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse at the hands of her husband, including death threats and intimidation. The trial judge accepted her testimony and found that she acted under duress, acquitting her of the charge of counselling to commit murder — a rare legal defense in Canada.

The Crown appealed, and the case eventually reached the Supreme Court of Canada. In 2013 the high court ruled that the duress defense did not apply in Doucet’s circumstances, but rather than order a new trial, it stayed the proceedings, effectively ending the case without a conviction.

This episode examines the complex intersection of domestic violence, the law, and the question of when — if ever — a person has a “way out” beyond the criminal justice system.

🕯️ What happens when someone feels trapped — and reaches the breaking point?

Topics explored include:
• The history of the couple’s relationship• Police and support system responses to abuse claims• How the hit-man plot unfolded• Legal arguments about duress and self-defense• Supreme Court implications for future cases

#NicoleDoucet #RVryan #VeronaInvestigates #CanadianTrueCrime #DomesticViolenceLaw