An inmate at the Toronto South Detention Centre has alleged that he was subject to cruel and unusual punishment by court and jail staff. The inmate told City News that he spent two weeks with untreated broken bones and was denied treatment, trips to the hospital, and an x-ray by correctional staff.
What Happened?
The inmate broke his hand in a fight with another inmate in the holding cells at the College Park courthouse in Toronto in July. Court officers, employed by Toronto police, broke up the fight, but the inmate claims they then denied his request to go to the hospital to get treated. The officers allegedly asked the inmate whether he wanted to get medical treatment for his hand, but when he responded in the affirmative, they told him “There’s no getting out of here” and returned him to a holding cell.
Once in the Detention Centre, he saw a doctor at the facility, who informed him that he needed an x-ray, but that there was no x-ray machine on the premises. However, the inmate was never taken off the premises to receive the x-ray.
The inmate went back to court for another a scheduled bail hearing twelve days after the fight. At that hearing, the inmate’s lawyer requested that the inmate’s condition be put on the record, along with the fact that the injury occurred in the cells at College Park. The Crown attorney went on the record and indicated that he saw swelling and
The Crown attorney went on the record and indicated that he saw swelling and discoloration on the inmate’s hand and that it appeared to be lacking circulation. The Crown attorney also confirmed that the injury looked acute. The presiding justice of the peace ordered that the inmate be taken to a hospital, but that request was allegedly ignored.
The inmate claims that court officers told him that many people come to court with broken arms and legs and that the only time something is done about it is “when somebody can’t breathe or it’s a life and death situation”. The special constables at the court house were allegedly informed that it was “not their job” to help the inmate.
The inmate then spent the weekend following the bail hearing dealing with the pain while the Detention Centre was on lockdown. He claims he told corrections officers that he was in pain and that his hand was changing colours.
The inmate is now in a cast but was not able to get one until he was released and immediately went to the emergency room.
Response by Toronto Police and Correctional Services Canada
A Toronto police spokeswoman confirmed the inmate’s account of the fight, and said that Toronto Police initially offered assistance, but that the inmate refused both police assistance and medical care. She also noted that the police have no notes from the bail hearing.
The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services told CityNews that it will not publicly address individual cases, particularly where the personal health matters of inmates are involved, but did note that “all inmates have access to health care services”. The Ministry said that it will investigate all allegations of improper care and custody of an inmate.
We have been blogging regularly about prison conditions in Canada and will continue to do so going forward. In the meantime, if you have questions about your legal rights, either during detention or otherwise, contact the skilled Oshawa criminal lawyers at Barrison Law. Our team has extensive experience defending a wide range of criminal charges. Whatever your issue, we can help. Call us at 905-404-1947or contact us online for a free consultation.