Delayed inquest into Ottawa jail inmate’s death set for Aug. 11

The inquest into the death of an inmate at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre, which had been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, will go ahead in August, according to Ontario’s solicitor general.

Jean Hervé Veillette, 48, died in hospital on Jan. 17, 2019, after being transferred from the OCDC.

An inquest into his death is mandatory under Ontario’s Coroners Act.

The inquest will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 11 and is expected to last three days. Nine witnesses are scheduled to speak, according to the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

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The proceedings will be virtual and streamed online for members of the public. Afterwards, the jury could make recommendations to prevent further deaths among inmates in Ontario’s carceral system.

The inquest was first announced in March 2020 and scheduled for May of that year but was among numerous hearings delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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