Calgary inmate’s lawyer demands answers after ‘incomprehensible’ attack at remand centre

A 40-year-old man remains on life support in the Foothills hospital after a violent attack at the Calgary Remand Centre Friday morning.

Sources tell Global News the man isn’t expected to survive the brutal assault, which was committed by a fellow inmate.

The victim was badly beaten by his cellmate while both were on suicide watch.

READ MORE: Inmate safety questioned after brutal beating in Calgary Remand Centre

The victim’s lawyer is shocked by the news and paints a heartbreaking picture of the young man’s life leading up to the attack.

“He’s just really frail and fragile…and it’s just really shocking to me,” Joan Blumer said.

READ MORE: Inmate clinging to life after beating in Calgary Remand Centre

Blumer has represented the victim for the past 20 years. She admits he’s had his fair share of trouble with the law, but she said it’s always been petty crime. Court records show numerous convictions for shoplifting and theft under $5,000.

“Petty, pettty crimes…and he’s someone who struggled with addictions, abuse as a child. He was not a physically imposing person, he was very slender. I would say he was a medically frail individual and certainly I’ve never heard of any sort of violence,” Blumer said.

“He’s had a horrible life.”

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READ MORE: Investigation underway after female inmate found dead in Calgary Remand Centre

And now, as he clings to life in intensive care, Blumer wants to know how this could have happened while in remand.

Sources say the suspect in the case has a long history of violence.

“The remand would know if someone has a history of violence,” she said. “They have absolute access to that information, and if they put a person with a history of violence in with someone who is physically unwell and who is not a violent person—that’s got to be accounted for.

“It’s my understanding that he had been asleep in a specialized cell where he was under suicide watch. And while he was asleep in that specialized cell, someone beat him to the point where he was unconscious. And he’s now in intensive care in hospital because of that beating…That—by any standard—is not acceptable.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's my understanding that he had been asleep in a specialized cell where he was under suicide watch. And while he was asleep in that specialized cell, someone beat him to the point where he was unconscious. And he's now in intensive care in hospital because of that beating…That—by any standard—is not acceptable."

Blumer wants to know how someone can be brutally beaten while they’re meant to be under watch for their own safety.

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The remand centre is not a “serving institution”—meaning it’s not where convicted criminals serve their sentences.

“It’s a place where people are taken when they are first arrested while the legal system comes to determine whether they’ll be awaiting their trial in custody or out of custody,” Blumer said. “They’ve not been proven guilty of anything.”

Alberta Justice told Global News there will be an internal investigation into the case, but can’t comment further.

Calgary police are also investigating the violent attack.

Sources say the entire incident was caught on CCTV surveillance video.

The suspect faces a possible charge of attempted murder, which would be upgraded if the victim doesn’t survive.

That’s the tragic outcome that’s expected, given the severity of the beating.

“If someone can be beaten to death… during that time that he may have been contemplating suicide, it’s incomprehensible,” Blumer said.

Global News has chosen not to name the victim yet, as next of kin continue to be notified of his condition.