Inquest hears how Gerald Burnouf had encounters in days before death with police, hospital staff
Burnouf died in jail on Oct. 8, 2016
Jurors at a coroner's inquest in Saskatoon are hearing about how Gerald Burnouf had encounters with staff at Royal University Hospital (RUH) and city police in the days before his death in jail.
The 49-year-old died at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre on Oct. 8, 2016.
Sgt. Doug McNeil provided jurors with a timeline of Burnouf's last days.
Jurors heard how Burnouf went to RUH on the evening of Oct. 4. He was complaining of symptoms related to methamphetamine withdrawal and wanted to see a psychiatric doctor.
He wandered through the hospital and was eventually arrested and taken to police cells. He spent the night in detention. He was at provincial court the next afternoon, Oct. 5, and released.
That evening he returned to RUH. He was eventually sedated and spent the night at hospital.
The next day, Oct. 6, he was picked up by police and spent another night in detention cells.
On Oct. 7, he was taken to the Saskatoon Correctional Centre.
Jurors heard how he was checked by medical staff at the jail when he was admitted. He was saying that he wasn't feeling well and wanted methadone.
He alternated between being calm and being agitated, jurors heard.
Nurse Darcelee Brenner described how she had three separate interactions with Burnouf when he was at the jail.
She said that he was under observation in the medical unit cells. He had been telling correctional officers that he wanted methadone.
However, jail policy is such that it cannot be given to inmates unless they already have a prescription. Burnouf did not.
She described how she tried at one point to speak with Burnouf in his cell, but she said that he was agitated and aggressive.
"He didn't present as being in any distress," she said.
Around suppertime on Oct. 8, he was discovered unresponsive in his cell.
Sgt. McNeil said the police investigation did not reveal any signs of trauma and homicide was ruled out as a cause of death.
The inquest is set to run all week at Court of Queen's Bench.