Released on September 5, 2014
A public inquest into the death of Douglas Morissette has been scheduled for September 8 - 12, at 10 a.m. at the Sandman Hotel in Saskatoon.On January 15, 2013, Morissette, 57, was arrested for public intoxication. He was transported to the Saskatoon Police Service detention unit where he was assessed and regularly checked overnight by detention staff. The next morning, Morissette was found dead in his cell.
Section 20 of The Coroners Act, 1999, states that the Chief Coroner shall hold an inquest into the death of a person who dies while an inmate at a jail or a correctional facility, unless the coroner is satisfied that the person's death was due entirely to natural causes and was not preventable.
The Office of the Chief Coroner is responsible for the investigation of all sudden, unexpected deaths. In addition to establishing who died, when and where the individual died, the medical cause of death and the manner of death, the coroner's jury may make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.
Coroner Robert Kennedy, Q.C., of Saskatoon will preside at the inquest.
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For more information, contact:
Noel Busse
Justice
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8959
Email: noel.busse@gov.sk.ca