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Inquests to be held into deaths of 8 inmates at London, Ont., jail from 2017-2021

Coroner's inquests into the deaths of eight inmates at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC) in London, Ont., between 2017 and 2021 were announced Tuesday afternoon by the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

Dates-locations for inquests, which are mandatory under the Coroner's Act, to be announced

Alessio Donnini · CBC News ·
Two men in orange shorts and orange t-shirt walk beside a man in blue, in the shadow of large fences with barbed wire overtop.
At the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in London, Ont., 21 people have died since 2009. On Tuesday, the Ministry of the Solicitor General announced inquests will be held into the deaths of eight inmates between 2017 and 2021. (CBC)

Coroner's inquests into the deaths of eight inmates at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC) in London, Ont., were announced Tuesday afternoon.

The inmates ranged in age from 29 to 61, with the deaths occurring from 2017 to 2021, according to a news release from the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

Inquests in Ontario are mandatory under various circumstances, including if someone dies in custody or while being detained.

Details of the newly announced London inquests, including their dates and locations, will be shared at a later date, the release says.

It lists the names and dates of death for these inmates.

  • Clayton Bissonnette, 61, March 24, 2021.
  • Chase Blanchard, 29, June 21, 2019.
  • Ronald Jenkins, 49, Dec. 9, 2017.
  • Raymond Major, 52, June 6, 2017.
  • James Pigeau, 32, Jan. 7, 2018.
  • Malcom Ripley, 41, Nov. 25, 2020.
  • Justin Struthers, 29, Dec. 26, 2017.
  • Sean Tourand, 33, March 31, 2019.

"All deaths occurred while in custody at, or after transfer to hospital from, the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in London. Inquests into their deaths are mandatory under the Coroners Act," the release says. "The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths."

Twenty-one people have died since 2009 at the jail.

Most recently, two inmates died roughly two months apart in 2022

In past years, inquests have been held into multiple deaths at the jail. The most recent one was conducted in 2020. That year, the jury recommended that the jail, which has faced criticism for being overcrowded and having dangerous conditions, be replaced with a new facility.

Crosses with the names of inmates who died rest against a fence at London's Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre.
Crosses rest against a fence at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre. (Hala Ghonaim/CBC)

Previous inquests found opiate toxicity was a common cause of death at the jail. 

Last year, a $33-million lawsuit against the province was settled, leaving thousands of former EMDC inmates eligible for money as compensation for mistreatment at the jail. 

The inmates alleged overcrowding, lack of medical treatment and lack of safety at the jail, which was built for 150 people but routinely held closer to 500 inmates. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alessio Donnini

Reporter/Editor

Alessio Donnini covers local news online and on the air for CBC News in London. He covers breaking news and writes about municipal politics, crime, and technology. Since graduating from Fanshawe College, he's also worked in Toronto and Windsor. Alessio can be heard on weekday afternoons reading the news for Afternoon Drive, and can be reached at alessio.donnini@cbc.ca

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