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An inquest into the deaths of seven inmates at Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre will begin Oct. 21, the province announced Thursday.
The inquest is expected to last 15 days and hear from 15 witnesses, the province said.
When first announced in May, the inquest was originally set to examine the deaths of eight inmates. It will no longer examine the death in 2017 of Justin Struthers, 29.
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The province didn’t explain in a news release why Struthers was no longer part of the inquest.
The inquest will examine the deaths of:
- Raymond Major, 52, who died June 6, 2017
- Ronald Jenkins, 49, who died Dec. 9, 2017
- James Pigeau, 32, who died Jan. 7, 2018
- Sean Tourand-Brightman, 33, who died March 31, 2019
- Chase Blanchard, 29, who died on June 21, 2019
- Malcom Ripley, 41, who died Nov. 25, 2020
- Clayton Bissonnette, 61, who died March 24, 2021
All deaths occurred while the inmates were at EMDC or being transferred to hospital from EMDC, and the inquests are mandatory under the Coroners Act, the province said.
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Coroner’s inquests examine the circumstances surrounding deaths and juries may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths.
The province groups deaths together at inquests to examine common causes or concerns.
London lawyer Kevin Egan, who will represent several families of the inmates at the inquest, said in an earlier interview the focus of the inquest might be on staffing levels and access to programs.
Several, but not all the deaths, appear to be drug related, he said.
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