Jury wants investigation reopened
Coroner's inquest determines asphyxiation as cause of death but manner undetermined
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 8, 2014
IGLULIK
A coroner's inquest into the 2012 death of 26-year-old Solomon Uyarasuk in an Iglulik jail cell has led to a recommendation that the investigation be reopened.
Solomon Uyarasuk was full of life with a creative, giving spirit while a member of Artcirq in 2008 when professional photographer Pat Kane took this picture of him in Iglulik. - Pat Kane photo |
With eight of nine recommendations directed at the RCMP, a six-person jury convened by the Office of the Chief Coroner returned its verdict that the manner of Uyarasuk's death remains undetermined.
The purpose of an inquest is to present information concerning a death in order for the jury to determine the cause and manner to prevent similar deaths in the future. The cause of death in Uyarasuk's case was determined to be asphyxiated hanging. But the jury was unable to determine whether the manner of death was suicide, homicide, accident or natural. Undetermined is also one of its options.
Uyarasuk was found dead in a police holding cell in September 2012 after he was taken into custody following a loud party complaint. He was stripped of his clothing but police testified they could not remove a belt, which was later found wrapped around his neck and attached to the door.
Asked if it's unusual for a jury to find manner of death undetermined when the autopsy indicates suicide, chief coroner Padma Suramala said "as a presiding coroner we can't suggest/guide anything to the jury. The jury is independent to make their verdict after hearing the witness testimony. We have no say."
The jury of three women and three men heard testimony Nov. 24 to 28 from several RCMP officers and a nurse, as well as a neighbour who called the police on the night 25-year-old Uyarasuk was detained.
Recommendations were then passed on to the RCMP and the Department of Health.
The V Division of the RCMP would not say whether or not the investigation would be reopened.
"The RCMP has already commenced a meaningful review of the nine recommendations made by the jury," stated RCMP Insp. Don Halina, officer in charge of operational support services, in a news release.
"The full review will take some time and we are not in a position at this time to speak to each specific recommendation. A comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Uyarasuk was completed independently by the Ottawa Police Service and they reported their findings directly to the Office of the Chief Coroner."
Most of the recommendations deal with Nunavut-specific officer training, equipment and video surveillance.
One recommendation was directed to the Department of Health, directing that GN medical staff adhere to policy and see injured patients in RCMP custody only in designated health centres or hospitals in Nunavut.
What happens as a result of the recommendations is now up to the RCMP and the Department of Health.
The department did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
"We do track the progress, however, these recommendations are not legally binding as per our act," said Suramala. "It depends on the departments whether they wanted to implement recommendations to prevent similar deaths in future."
Halina added the RCMP review will be a local effort as well as national, with its National Policy Centre, "to ensure that the recommendations are reviewed at an organizational level and implemented as appropriate."
"V Division has pro-actively commenced a number of processes to ensure prisoner safety, including the installation of closed circuit cameras in cell blocks, the development of formalized unit orientation packages for relief members and the regular inspection of detachments," he stated.
