Inquests to be held into deaths of 8 inmates at London, Ont., jail from 2017-2021

Coroner's inquests into the deaths of eightinmates at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC) in London, Ont., were announced Tuesday afternoon.

The inmatesranged in age from 29 to 61, with the deaths occurring from 2017 to 2021, according to a news release from the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

Inquests in Ontario are mandatoryunder various circumstances, including if someone diesin custody or while being detained.

Details of thenewly announced London inquests, including their dates and locations, will be shared at a later date, the release says.

It lists the names and dates of deathfor these inmates.

• Clayton Bissonnette, 61, March24, 2021.
• Chase Blanchard, 29,June 21, 2019.
• Ronald Jenkins, 49, Dec. 9, 2017.
• Raymond Major, 52, June 6, 2017.
• James Pigeau, 32, Jan. 7, 2018.
• Malcom Ripley, 41, Nov. 25, 2020.
• Justin Struthers, 29, Dec. 26, 2017.
• Sean Tourand, 33, March31, 2019.

"All deathsoccurred while in custody at,or after transfer to hospital from, the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in London. Inquests into their deaths are mandatory under theCoroners Act," the release says."The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths."

Twenty-one people have died since 2009 at the jail.

Most recently, two inmates died roughly two months apart in 2022

In past years, inquests have been held into multiple deaths at the jail.The most recent one was conductedin 2020. That year, the jury recommended that the jail, which has faced criticism forbeing overcrowded and having dangerous conditions, be replaced with a new facility.

Previous inquests found opiate toxicity was a common cause of death at the jail.

Last year, a $33-million lawsuit against the province was settled, leavingthousands of former EMDC inmates eligible for money as compensation for mistreatment at thejail.

The inmates alleged overcrowding, lack of medical treatmentand lack of safety at the jail, which was built for 150 people but routinely held closer to 500 inmates.