Brandon man convicted of murdering Erin Chorney applying for parole under faint-hope clause

Image of Michael Bridges taken from CTV file footage of the tape of him making his confession.

WINNIPEG — A Brandon man who confessed to killing his ex-girlfriend and burying her body in another person’s grave is applying for early parole.

Michael Bridges, who was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2005 death of Erin Chorney, is asking for early parole based on the “faint hope clause”.

The clause, which was repealed by the federal government, gives offenders convicted before 2011 a chance to ask for their sentences to be reduced, but only after serving 15 years.

Chorney’s body was found in February 2004, nearly two years after she went missing in Brandon. Bridges admitted to the murder in a videotaped confession and led an undercover RCMP officer to the site.

Jury selection started on Monday and the trial in Brandon is expected to last two weeks.