Barton st. jail inquest

The inquest into the drug overdose deaths at the Barton street jail heard more today about the communication breakdowns between the jail, health care and police.

Correctional officer Isabella Brlek told the inquest today that 47 year old Peter McNelis was scared and paranoid and she reassured him that he was safe as she transferred him to his own cell in the mental health unit. Police believed three plastic packages of drugs that disappeared during his arrest where hidden inside his body. He was acting strangely walking around naked and banging his head off the concrete walls and floor. He was restrained with leg irons and handcuffs before he lost consciousness.

Three tied plastic bags were found in his large intestine that tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl and hydromorphone. Brlek said she thought Mcnelis had psychiatric issues, she didn’t think he had drugs on him, telling the inquest there needs to be better communication between the police, hospitals and jail.

Throughout this inquest several witnesses have highlighted communication issues between healthcare and corrections staff. Today the inquest heard that police arrested another inmate David Gillan who they knew was suicidal but that wasn’t communicated to the jail.

46 year old David Gillan was found dead from a fentanyl overdose in May 2015. His death was ruled a suicide, there was a note found in his cell. The inquest heard that no one at the jail knew Gillan was suicidal, if they had he would have been placed on suicide watch in segregation, but Gillan’s girlfriend told Hamilton police he had made references to suicide. A suicide prevention admission checklist at the jail was filled out with a straight line down the side answering “no” all the questions including about self-harm.