The lawyer representing Jonathan Henoche—who died at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary one year ago—has learned that the police investigation into the matter is complete and the report is before the Department of Justice.
However, both the RNC and Department of Justice indicate the investigation into the matter remains active.
Bob Buckingham today issued a news release today seeking an update and calling for an independent inquiry into Henoche’s death.
He says it was soon after the release went out this morning that police contacted Henoche’s family.
Buckingham does not know when the investigation was completed, whether charges are warranted or how long the Department of Justice has had the report.
Buckingham this morning repeated his call for a public inquiry to determine what role racism may have played in the Indigenous man’s death and on the level of training received by correctional officers in dealing with mental health issues.
Earlier Story
The lawyer for an Indigenous man who died at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary is calling for an update on the police investigation on this, the first anniversary of his death.
Bob Buckingham says it’s time the public and the family of Jonathan Henoche be informed of how the police investigation is progressing.
He says it was a significant investigation including interviews with numerous witnesses, reviewing penitentiary security tapes, assessing the forensic evidence, and obtaining an opinion on the law. Buckingham says sufficient time has passed for a comment to be made.
Henoche’s lawyer repeated his call for a public inquiry into his death to determine the role racism may have played, the adequacy of training of correctional officers in dealing with mental health issues, and the source of information about the homicide which was released to the press by NAPE President Jerry Earle.
He says he receives calls all the time about the fear which Indigenous persons experience in our correctional facilities.
Henoche, who was 33 at the time of his death, was accused of killing an elderly woman in Labrador. Nobody has yet been charged in his death.
