Coroner's inquest into Fredericton ER waiting-room death postponed over new information

A coroner's inquest scheduled to begin Monday into the death of a patientin the Fredericton ER waiting roomlast summer has been postponed, just three days after it was announced.

Chief coroner Heather Brander has reopened her investigation into Darrell Mesheau's death after new information was brought forward, according to a news release issued Friday afternoon by theDepartment of Justice and Public Safety.

No details about the nature of the new information wereprovided.

But under theCoroners Act, an inquest can't proceed while a death is still being investigated.

"We understand how difficult this is for Mr. Mesheau's family and the inquest will be rescheduled as soon possible," Brander said in a statement.

"As this is an active investigation, there will be no further comment."

Mesheau, 78, died while waiting for care at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital's emergency department nearly a year ago, on July 12, 2022.

His death sparked outrage across the province and prompted Premier Blaine Higgsto removeDorothy Shephard as health minister,tofireHorizon president and CEO Dr. John Dornan, and to replacethe Horizon and Vitalit boards with one trustee each.

Jury selection was slated to begin at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the University of New Brunswick law school, with regional coroner Emily Caissy presiding.

Family trusts process

Mesheau's family wasinformed of the postponement by the coroner's office on Friday morning, according to his sister Susan Mesheau.

"We have no further information so I'm not sure why," she said.

"But we trust the coroner's office and the Crown prosecutors that they're doing the right thing, and we trust the process."

At least two family members planned to attend Darrell Mesheau's son, Ryan Mesheau, and his brother, Peter Mesheau, a former Progressive Conservative finance minister under the Bernard Lord government.

It was only on Tuesday that the five-day inquest was announced, along withMesheau's identity.

No details about the circumstances surroundinghis deathhave previously been made public.

But witness John Staples told CBCasenior had been waiting alone in a wheelchair,in visible discomfort,for hourswhen he appeared to fall asleep. It was only during a routine check of people in the waiting room that a hospital employee realized the man had stopped breathing, Staples said.

About 125 people had been ordered to appearfor potential jury duty, Department of Justice and Public Safety spokesperson Judy Dsalliers told CBC.

Individuals who couldn't be contacted about the postponement willbe advised in person upon their arrival Monday, she said.

A new pool of potential jurors will be summonsed when the new inquest date is known.

Dsalliers declined to say how many witnesses were expected to testify.The department does not release the list or number of witnesses in advance, she said.