Inmate testifies corrections officer told Errol Greene to 'stop faking it' during seizure

There was someone on the phone next to Errol Greene when he had the first of two seizures that led to his death while in custody at the Winnipeg Remand Centre.

Michael Redhead said he was talking to his cousin at the same time Greene was talking to his wife, Rochelle Pranteau.

"I heard a thump, I turned around and didn't see anyone," said Redhead. "I turned to the guards and yelled, 'He's having a seizure.'"

Redhead testified he first met Greene in admissions before they were both placed in cells on the fourth floor. 

He told the court he didn't talk much to Greene, but heard him ask a nurse for his medication. Redhead said he was getting Tylenol at the time Greene was talking to the nurse and said he heard her say they were ordering it.

The inquest heard from Greene's widow that he was not given his medication and his autopsy showed low levels in his system.

Redhead testified he saw Greene handcuffed and shackled during the first seizure. 

He also said he saw a corrections officer give Greene a "hard nudge" with his foot and heard him say "stop faking it."

Redhead told the court he only saw the Greene have the first seizure and that his cell window was covered after the inmates locked up. 

He said he got down on the floor and watched under the crack of his door.

He said he heard Greene asking the corrections officers for water, which made him think Greene was still handcuffed while in his cell. The supervising officer testified that Greene was uncuffed after his first seizure and placed in his cell to recover.

Handwritten note

Redhead told the court he reached out to Pranteau after Greene died. He wrote her a letter on May 14, 2016 explaining what he saw.

He also testified that he had met Pranteau through his cousin prior to Greene's death.

• Lawyer questions why corrections official did 'off the record' interview with Errol Greene inquest witness

Pranteau gave that letter to her lawyer, Corey Shefman, who turned it over to inquest counsel and the lawyer for the province, who represents Corrections.

On Friday, Shefman raised concerns that a corrections official did an off-the-record interview with Redhead in December while he was in custody at Milner Ridge Correctional Centre.

Redhead told the court on Wednesday an officer came to get him and told him he was not in trouble and that a lawyer wanted a statement from him.

He testified that the corrections official was kind and respectful. However he said he got worried when he was told "divisions" wanted the statement as well. He did not explain who divisions was, just said he was worried he wouldn't get calls or be able to send letters.