Quebec’s chief coroner Tuesday ordered a public inquiry into the death of inmate Nicous D’Andre Spring, 21, on Christmas Eve at Bordeaux jail.
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“The public inquiry is intended to shed light on the cause of death and the circumstances surrounding Mr. Spring’s death,” the coroner’s office said in a statement.
Quebec Chief Coroner Me Pascale Descary today ordered a public inquiry into the death of Mr Nicous D’Andre Spring following events at the Montreal (Bordeaux) Detention Center on December 24, 2022.https://t.co/ ayP9uS1KcX
— Coroner (@CoronerQuebec) January 17, 2023
“Specifically, the Inquiry is a process whereby the facts and information pertinent to the circumstances of the death are presented to the coroner at public hearings in order to analyze any contributing factors and to propose whether there are possible better solutions to protect human life.” , added the Coroner’s Office.
Inmate Nicous D’Andre Spring died under mysterious circumstances on the afternoon of December 24. He is said to have been involved in an altercation with correctional officers at the Montreal (Bordeaux) prison. In particular, he was sprayed twice with pepper spray and put on a sneeze mask.
The inmate succumbed to his injuries the following day, Christmas Day.
The young man was charged with assaulting a peace officer, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and criminal harassment.
However, he should not have been in prison at the time of the events as he should have been released the day before after appearing in court.
Following this dramatic event, a prison officer involved in the intervention was suspended and a director of Bordeaux prison was removed from his post.
Coroner Me Julie-Kim Godin will lead the public inquiry. She is assisted by a prosecutor who is expected to be appointed soon.
“This additional step creates transparency to ensure public trust in our prison facilities. I will ensure that the ministry takes all measures to avoid such a situation in the future,” Public Security Minister François Bonnardel responded on Twitter.
The coroner announces that her investigation will now be public. This extra step creates transparency to ensure public trust in our prison facilities. I will ensure that the Ministry takes all measures to avoid such a situation in the future https://t.co/nWIRO5TUDw
– Francois Bonnardel (@fbonnardelCAQ) January 17, 2023
Details of the public consultation and hearing dates will be announced at a later date.