The names of ten correctional officers charged in the death of an inmate at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary have been released in court documents, but the lawyer who represented the inmate says many questions remain unanswered.
Jonathan Henoche, 33, died in November 2019 at HMP following an altercation with guards. He was awaiting trial on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the death of a respected member of the community in Labrador.
The names of the officers were made public Friday afternoon after the information was formally sworn in provincial court in St. John’s—that’s 18 days after the charges were announced by the RNC.
The ten guards face serious charges ranging from manslaughter to criminal negligence causing death, leading lawyer Bob Buckingham to question why it took so long for the names to be made public. But it remains unclear what conditions they have to abide by regarding contact with each other as well as witnesses inside and outside the penitentiary.
He wants to know what’s been done to protect the public and the investigation, and he wants to make sure there will be no interference from “the pen ten.”
All ten guards are scheduled to appear in court on February 11 but they may not have to show up themselves. Their defence lawyers can ask to appear on their behalf until the case reaches the trial stage.
It’s up to the Crown or the judge to accept or deny those requests.
