Lawsuit in works over remand centre beating
The family of a Russian exchange student beaten by inmates inside the Calgary Remand Centre is launching a lawsuit against authorities.
Two men have been charged in connection with the attack on Denis Telyakov on Aug. 20, 2012, and have yet to stand trial.
Now, lawyers representing Telyakov’s family have confirmed the incident will be the subject of a civil case as well.
“We intend to file the claim in due course against the relevant parties,” said Elmer Chiu, who didn’t specify who will be named as defendants in the suit.
Alberta Justice and Solicitor General fired two correctional officers after an internal investigation found guards didn’t do enough to prevent inmates from assaulting Telyakov.
The investigators’ report, obtained by the Herald through an access-toinformation request, said officers saw inmates being aggressive toward Telyakov when he was transferred to a medium security unit.
Investigators said officers didn’t intervene as inmates were “swarming” around Telyakov as he was escorted to his cell.
The officers then locked Telyakov in a cell with two other inmates, who are now charged with aggravated assault.
The investigators’ report criticized correctional officers for not moving Telyakov after the hostile reception he received and noted there were vacant cells in the remand centre.
“Typically, difficult-to-place inmates can be housed temporarily in the administrative segregation unit pending further review and assessments of their placement in CRC. There were options for placing inmate (Telyakov) given the unique circumstances of his admission to the unit,” the report said.
Telyakov, 25, was in Calgary studying English when he was accused of uttering threats against a classmate and arrested at the end of July 2012.
The charges against Telyakov were later stayed, but he was still being held at the remand centre awaiting bail on the night he was attacked.
The beating left Telyakov in a coma for more than two weeks and the Calgary police homicide unit handled the criminal investigation because his injuries were considered life-threatening.
Telyakov is back home in Russia, but his sister said he faces a long recovery.
While Telyakov’s condition has improved over the past 11 months, Elena Romanova said her brother’s speech is still impaired and he hasn’t fully regained his motor skills.
“He is at home, sometimes trying to help our mom with routine home work: like watering the garden, vacuum cleaning and other not very difficult stuff,” Romanova said in an email.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees is fighting the dismissals of the guards in arbitration.