Province announces inquests into two deaths at Saskatoon facilities

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The Saskatchewan Coroners Service has announced inquests into two deaths that occurred at facilities in Saskatoon that house provincial and federal inmates.

James Leo Short, 33, was found unresponsive in his cell at Saskatoon’s Regional Psychiatric Centre, a federal facility, on Aug. 30, 2017.  Officials said at the time that there were no apparent signs Short’s death was caused by foul play or self-harm.

By law, an inquest must be held following any death of a person held in a jail or correctional facility, unless the coroner determines the death was entirely from natural causes and couldn’t have been prevented.

The inquest into Short’s death is scheduled to run from Oct. 19 to 23 at the Saskatoon Inn and Conference Centre.

The province also announced an inquest has been scheduled into the death of Donald Blair.

Blair was 43 when he was found in unconscious in his cell at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre, a provincial jail, on Nov. 7, 2018. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.