Inmate found guilty of riot, arson at jail

The last of 14 inmates to be dealt with in court over a riot at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre that caused $130,000 in damage has been convicted of arson and participating in a riot.

The decision was handed down Wednesday in Saskatoon provincial court for Michael Joseph Bryant, who was the only accused to take his case to trial. Sentencing is set for a later date.

Out of 24 inmates who were on the range, 14 were implicated in the nearly seven-hour riot, which began around 7:30 a.m. on March 29, 2016.

A video taken by one of the guards, which was played in court during Bryant’s trial, shows the inmates roaming around the range, meticulously destroying everything they could get their hands on.

They threw cleaning equipment around the room and at the window of the guard area. They threw appliances and used them to barricade doors, breaking some open for makeshift weapons. Paper towels and toothpaste were smeared on the guard room windows to prevent staff from seeing what the Crown called “complete anarchy.”

Court heard one guard was struck in the head with an object and sustained a minor injury.

Bryant, his shirt tied around his face, is seen on the video throwing light bulbs and helping push a Ping-Pong table against an exit. He also helped use an exercise bike to pop open the cell doors of any inmates who were in lockdown and started a fire on the upper range using either a sheet or a towel, a corrections officer testified.

She said she did not know how the fires were started, but added inmates had used electrical outlets to generate sparks.

Defence lawyer Ammy Murray argued the video did not clearly show Bryant starting any fires, but Judge Brent Klause disagreed.

Out of the 13 other men who were charged in connection with the riot, 12 pleaded guilty and were sentenced to the following: Shane Richard Gauthier: Two years less a day for rioting

Dakota Cree Netmaker: Six months for rioting

Cyril Glover: 15 months for rioting Dylan Tyler McCabe: Three months for rioting

Justice Rene Lafond Bruneau: Six months for rioting

Terelle Trent Kahpeaysewat: Nine months for rioting

Justin Kyle Keewatin: three months for rioting

Jordan Kris Lemay: 18 months for rioting

Zacharia Malachi Stevenson: 70 days for rioting

Brandon James Sakebow: 15 months for rioting

William Roderick Gunn: three months for rioting

Vincent Hoeber: 70 days for arson Jesse Derrick Fink: stay of proceedings