Jury recommends better surveillance, safety measures following Kalin Holonics death inquest
The public inquest into the death of Kalin Dean Holonics concluded on Wednesday with a verdict from the jury.
The 25-year-old man from Estevan was found dead in his cell at the Regina Correctional Centre on July 9, 2020.
The public inquiry was heard from a total of six jurors, who gave their verdict late Wednesday afternoon.
The jury determined through the evidence provided that Kalin Dean Holonics died between the hours of 12:30 a.m., and 5:30 a.m., and the manner of the death was accidental.
The jury also presented a list of 11 recommendations for the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety and the Regina Correctional Centre.
The recommendations for the ministry included:
- Enact a drone policy within 500 metres of the correctional centre
- Public inquests occur closer to incident 120 days to six months
- Add additional fencing around the correctional centre to prevent throw overs
- Correctional officers must receive additional training every two years for CPR, first-aid, and naloxone. The training must be in person.
The recommendations for the Regina Correctional Centre included:
- Improve all camera technology inside and outside.
- Check list for correctional officers during their hourly checks. Including references to lights on/off, sleeping, position of sleeping.
- Add an additional body scanner near the doors where inmates go outside to perform duties.
- Review size of windows within doors and install larger windows.
- Pilot project a full time drug dog for one year and look at results.
- Change terminology for inmates working outside from “outside gangs” to “outside team or crew”.
- Investigate use of heart rate risk band to monitor inmate.
The recommendations will be sent to the coroner’s office before being sent to their respective organizations.
Prior to the verdict, the jury heard testimony from the Director of the Regina Correctional Centre Darrell Olbrich.
During the testimony, emotions were prevalent while Olbrich answered questioned on training, policy, and drugs.
A month prior to Holonics death, the province of Saskatchewan implemented a new policy mandating correctional staff do hourly checks on inmates.
On the night of Holonics death, checks were only done at 12:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m., and 5:00 a.m.
The Regina Correctional Centre implemented the policy shortly after Holonics death.
Olbrich’s answers unsettled members of the public, some of whom were family members of Holonics.
Crying and yelling could be heard outside of the inquest walls as Olbrich responded to questions about policy and drugs.
The director also said he saw no issue with correctional officers performing the checks throughout the night of Holonics death, saying they were up to policy standard.
Correction officers must identify skin, however looking for signs of life are not written into the policy.
Olbirch also said he is aware of the problem of “throw overs.”
A "throw over" references illegal drugs being thrown over prison walls, which are then picked up by inmates who smuggle the drugs back inside the correctional centre and sell them to other inmates.
Olbirch said the correctional centre has taken precautions to stop “throw overs” in the last several months.
According to Olbrich, nets, extended walls, scanners, as well as photocopying mail before distributing it to inmates are precautions that the correctional centre has taken to prevent drugs from getting into the facility.
Olbrich did agree that further training could benefit correctional officers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
RateMDs violates privacy of health professionals, class-action lawsuit claims
A lawsuit against RateMDs has been given the go-ahead by a B.C. Supreme Court judge who found the claim that the website violates the privacy rights of medical professionals is not 'bound to fail.'