Barton Street jail inquest will be held at Convention Centre

A venue has been chosen for the upcoming joint inquest into eight deaths at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre.

The inmates died while in custody at the Barton Street jail and officials say drug toxicity was a factor in all of their deaths.

Dr. Reuven Jhirad will preside as inquest coroner and Karen Shea will be counsel to the coroner when the inquest begins April 9 at the Hamilton Convention Centre.

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The inquest will examine the events surrounding the deaths of Louis Angelo Unelli, William Acheson, Martin Tykoliz, Stephen Conrad Neeson, David Michael Gillan, Trevor Ronald Burke, Julien Chavaun Walton and Peter Michael McNelis.

The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths.

The inquest is expected to last six weeks and to hear from approximately 100 witnesses.