Inquest into Iqaluit woman's death set for April

An inquest into the death of Elisapee Michael, an Iqaluit woman who had spent hours in RCMP custody, will begin on April 4.

Nunavut's acting chief coroner, Padma Suramala, confirmed the date in a news release.

Michael, 52, died of head injuries on Aug. 13, 2009, four days after she had fallen down the front stairs of an Iqaluit hotel.

Family members said Michael spent about 14 hours in an RCMP holding cell after Iqaluit hospital staff allegedly deemed her to be intoxicated and disruptive.

Police eventually found Michael on the floor of the cell, in distress. She was transported to an Ottawa hospital, where she later died.

The coroner's inquest was originally set to begin Nov. 22, but was delayed because officials needed more time to prepare.