Date set for inquest into death of Soleiman Faqiri at Lindsay, Ont. jail

A coroner’s inquest has been scheduled during November 2023 for the death of a mentally ill man who died in an Ontario jail cell in December 2016.

On Wednesday, Dr. Paul Dungey, regional supervising coroner for East Region,  announced the date for the inquest into the death of Soleiman Faqiri at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ont.

Investigations revealed the 30-year-old man had been beaten, pepper sprayed and restrained following altercations with correctional staff. Faqiri had been at the jail for 11 days prior to his death on Dec. 15, 2016.

Family of Faqiri have argued he should have not been in the jail as he was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 19 years old.

In 2021, a report by Dr. Michael Pollanen, Ontario’s chief forensic pathologist, determined Faqiri’s death “occurred during struggle and restraint by correctional officers.”

In August 2022, following an investigation, Ontario Provincial Police said there would be no criminal charges laid against six correctional officers involved in the incident. It followed the initial decision by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service in Lindsay that there were no grounds for criminal charges after their investigation.

Initially the coroner’s officer ruled Faqiri’s death as “unascertainable” but Pollanen’s conclusions led to an inquest being ordered to “examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Faqiri’s death.”

The inquest, scheduled to begin on Nov. 20 at the Coroner’s Courts in Toronto, is expected to last 15 days and hear from 20 witnesses. Dr. David Cameron will be the presiding officer. Prabhu Rajan and Julian Roy will be the inquest counsel.

A jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths.

4:44 ‘This fight is far from over,’ Family of Soleiman Faqiri say coroner’s inquest next step for justice

• ‘This fight is far from over,’ Family of Soleiman Faqiri say coroner’s inquest next step for justice
• Global News Morning Peterborough: Family of Soleiman Faqiri speaks out following Chief Pathologist’s report
• ‘This did not need to take so long,’ says Soleiman Faqiri’s brother on new report by Ontario’s top pathologist
• Ontario’s top pathologist says correctional officers to blame for Soleiman Faqiri death at Lindsay jail
• Yusuf Faqiri documents his fight for justice and answers to his brother’s death in podcast ‘Unascertained’
• Jail guards used ‘triple threat’ in death of Soleiman Faqiri, court documents reveal
• Dozens of organizations condemn OPP for no charges laid in death of Soleiman Faqiri

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