Chief medical examiner calls inquest into death of Stony Mountain inmate

The province's chief medical examiner has called an inquest into the death of an inmate at Stony Mountain Institution earlier this year.

Lewis Sitar, 50, died after he was found unresponsive and "exhibiting seizure activity" in hiscell on Feb. 21, provincial officials said in a release.

Sitar was taken to Health Sciences Centre but died on March 3.

An inmate since Oct. 2, 2014, he had been serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence for mischief, break and enter and theft, uttering threats and failing to comply with a recognizance.

According to The Fatality Inquiries Act, inquests are called when an inmate dies as a result of a violent act or negligence, or in an "unexpected or unexplained manner or suddenly of unknown cause,"or "as a result of an act or omission of a peace officer."

The inquest will also seek to determine the circumstances around Sitar's death and what could be done to prevent similar deaths.

The date, time and location of the inquest will be determined by the Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba at a later date.