Inquest into deaths of 5 Niagara inmates told health and security can be at odds in jail

A senior official at the Niagara Detention Centre (NDC) told the inquest into the deaths of five men that there can be tension between managing inmate health care and securing the jail.

"First, we're caring for these guys," Patrick Sproat, deputy superintendent of the facility in Thorold, Ont., said Tuesday. "They're here as punishment, not for punishment."

But in answering questions at the inquest that began Oct. 21, Sproat suggested several proposed changes might not be ideal or feasible for the NDC, even if they could benefit inmates' health. 

For example, Sproat said, constantly monitoring intoxicated inmates would be beneficial, but significantly drain staff resources. Call buttons in cells might allow overdosing inmates to get help more quickly, but could also result in frequent false alarms. And while giving inmates direct access to naloxone — which can reverse the effects of an overdose  —  might help, Sproat said it may also lead inmates to attempt to treat overdoses without informing jail staff.

"We need to take everything into account to ensure the jail is operating as optimally as possible," Sproat said. 

Timothy Anderson, Murray Balogh, David Cowe, Michael Croft and Jahrell Lungs all died of drug toxicity between 2018 and 2022. Since they were incarcerated, inquests into their deaths are mandatory. None were more than 10 days into their time at the facility when they died.

For over a week, the inquest, which the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario is holding virtually, has been hearing from workers at the jail and medical experts. Each witness answers questions from lawyers who work for the coroner, then from those representing the Ministry of the Solicitor General, which oversees NDC, the Prison Harm Reduction Coalition, and two doctors who served as witnesses. 

Members of Anderson's and Balogh's families are party to the inquest and can ask questions through its lawyers.

Jurors will be responsible for answering a series of factual questions about how the men died. They may also issue non-binding recommendations intended to prevent future, similar deaths. 

Sproat was the first NDC leader to be questioned. He said he was previously a worker at the jail, and according to an agreed statement of facts presented earlier in the inquest, he was present when Lungs overdosed and he attempted to revive him.

Over two days, inquest lawyers asked Sproat to describe procedures at NDC, including how inmates are scanned for drugs when admitted and what happens when an inmate is found to have ingested drugs. 

Jurors heard that with an inmate's consent, upon arrival at the NDC, staff use a body scanner to detect whether they have ingested any contraband, such as drugs. Sproat said this is not a foolproof method, since the scanner highlights density and it can be hard to discern loosely packed drugs from natural phenomena like gas.

Sproat also shared how some inmates distribute drugs within the prison. At one point, he said, it was common for inmates to tie objects to strings and try to pass them between cells, either through barred windows or in the space under cell doors. Security cameras captured Anderson appearing to take an item from another inmate by reaching into that inmate's cell from within the hallway. He overdosed the next day.

Cells no longer have open bars, Sproat said, and dams block the space under doorways, but inmates still find ways to share contraband. Inquest lawyers played security video appearing to show Croft asking a guard for help in disposing garbage, then putting an object into a garbage bin via a slot in his cell door. Immediately after, another inmate asked for the garbage, only to reach through the cell door and into the bin to take something out. Sproat described this as a likely drug deal. Croft, who appeared intoxicated in the video, died of an overdose soon after.