RCMP were trying to protect woman who was kept naked, minister says

The province's justice minister is defending RCMP guards at a police lockup in Happy Valley-Goose Bay who took away the clothes of a woman they say was threatening to harm herself.

Justice Minister Jerome Kennedy said Monday the RCMP officers were trying to protect Emily Jararuse's life.

Based on reports about Jararuse, 41, who appeared for a meeting with an interpreter and her lawyer wearing nothing but a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, the RCMP had little choice, Kennedy said.

Kennedy's comments Monday came after he spoke with court interpreter Mary Adams, who had described the treatment of Jararuse at the lockup as "a very bad case of abuse."

Jararuse spent four days in September at the lockup waiting to make a court appearance on mischief, break and enter, assault and weapons charges.

Adams said if the woman was threatening suicide, she should have been taken to the hospital.

After speaking with Adams, Kennedysaid he agreed there's a need for more mental health facilities for Labrador prisoners experiencing distress.

People held in custody have the right to be to be treated with dignity and respect, the minister said, calling the incident involving Jararuse bothersome — especially in light of a report released in June by Citizen's Representative Barry Fleming.

The report was written in response to another incident where a Nain woman was held naked in the same police lockup for three days. The police later apologized.

Fleming recommended that a facility be built in Labrador for women that could house five inmates.