Quebec’s chief coroner has just opened a public inquiry into the death of inmate Nicous D’Andre Spring, which occurred on Christmas Eve at Bordeaux Jail.
Posted at 12:46 p.m
The 21-year-old died after being subjected to physical attacks by correctional officers, including the use of pepper spray. Subsequent searches revealed that Mr Spring was in unlawful detention as he should have been released the day before he died.
“Coroner Me Julie-Kim Godin was appointed by [la coroner en chef] I choose to lead this investigation,” the coroner’s press release said. “The public inquiry aims to shed light on the cause of death and the circumstances surrounding Mr Springs’ death. More specifically, the inquest is a process by which facts and information pertinent to the circumstances of the death are presented to the coroner during public hearings. »
After the death, a correctional officer and the head of the unit in question were suspended, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) launched a criminal investigation, and the Ministry of Public Safety launched an administrative inquiry into the incidents.
Public Security Minister François Bonnardel announced that his investigation is now going public. “This additional step creates transparency to ensure public trust in our prison facilities,” he said on Twitter.
Nicous D’Andre Spring’s family “mourns his death” and “their grief is compounded by the lack of response from government authorities,” her attorney Virginie Dufresne-Lemire said in a statement on Tuesday. “Nicous was robbed of all his potential at just 21 years old. It’s devastating,” said Nicous D’Andre Spring’s older sister Sarafina Dennie.