SASKATOON – After waiting nearly three months, the Elizabeth Fry Society has been granted standing at the Kinew James public inquest into her death. Officials with the organization confirmed the decision with Global News late last week.
In January, the group took part in a judicial review after the coroner’s office denied it standing at the inmate’s inquest.
The inquest into the 35-year-old woman’s death while serving time at Saskatoon’s Regional Psychiatric Centre in 2013 is scheduled to begin April 25.
An unsealed reported released at the end of January found five alarm calls were made from James’s cell the night she died. It states it took a nurse between 12 and 15 minutes to declare a medical emergency.
READ MORE: 5 alarm calls made from Kinew James cell the night she died: report
According to the report by the board of investigation, James had diabetes and heart problems.
At the time of her death, she was nearing the end of a sentence for manslaughter, assault, uttering threats, arson, mischief and obstruction of justice.
Meaghan Craig contributed to this story