FOI On Prisoner’s Death Referred To Provincial Coroner
PRISONER’S IDENTITY STILL REMAINS UNDER WRAPS DUE TO PROVINCIAL PRIVACY RULES
By Robert Thomas
There is more confirmation preparations are underway for a Saskatchewan Coroners Office public inquest looking into the sudden death of a yet to be identified 40 year old prisoner who died on October 7, 2021 while in Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) custody.
Responding to a Freedom Of Information (FOI) request from MJ Independent the MJPS wrote the request had been forwarded to the Saskatchewan Coroners Office as they have a greater interest in the file.
The move is allowed under legislation governing FOI requests.
Under provincial FOI legislation the Provincial Coroner’s Office is exempt.
The move effectively shuts down the FOI until the inquest unless the Coroner’s Office decides to release any information.
It should be noted that, despite not being under FOI legislation, the corners office follows the spirit of the legislation.
The response was generated after an initial FOI was amended at the MJPS FOI officer’s request.
The initial request included the deceased individual’s name, the exact method of death, where they were from, the charges they were facing as well as the identity of at least one officer who had spoken to the prisoner. The information was provided to MJ Independent by sources who requested anonymity when providing the information.
The MJPS’s initial response stated they could neither confirm or deny the validity of the prisoner’s name identified in the initial FOI.
Under privacy legislation a deceased’s information is protected for a period of 25 years.
THE FINAL RESPONSE TO MJ INDEPENDENT’S FOI SEEKING DETAILS TO AN IN M-CUSTODY DEATH THAT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 7, 2021
In a May 2022 media scrum Chef Rick Bourassa said there may be a coroners inquest into the death. At the time the Regina Police Service (RPS) was investigating the death.
The Saskatchewan Police Act requires an investigation by an outside police force when there is an in custody death.
The RPS’s review is now completed.
Confirmation that there would be a public coroners inquest into the prisoner’s sudden death came after MJ Independent contacted a provincial Minister’s office seeking comment and further details.
The media request to Minister Tell’s office included details provided by confidential sources as well as some of the documents related to the prisoner and asked for a response to those details.
Two official statements were issued one stating a public Coroner’s Inquest would be occurring. No date(s) for the inquest have been announced.
Under legislation a Coroner’s Inquest must be called when there is an in custody death that is not from natural causes.
The purpose of the inquest is not to find fault but rather to determine what occurred and provide recommendations on preventing a similar reoccurrence.
According to a press release issued by the Moose Jaw Police Service at the time of the sudden death officers had been speaking with the 40 year old man just moments before his body was discovered.
Immediate attempts were made by officers to resuscitate the man who were quickly joined by EMS.
Those resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
Under the Police Act the MJPS requested an outside police force - the RPS - to conduct an investigation.
The MJPS also requested the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety appoint an investigation observer.
No cause of death was ever given with the MJPS stating they could not provide further comment citing the ongoing investigation.