Family demands investigation into inmate’s death
Man dies in hospital following transfer from remand centre
Friends and family were calling Tuesday for an investigation into the events leading up to the death of an Edmonton Remand Centre inmate in hospital.
Jason Sinclair, 29, died late Tuesday afternoon after being in a coma at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, according to his friends.
Close friend Tyler LaFlamme said he, along with Sinclair’s girlfriend and others, are concerned about the circumstances that led to the death.
“I need justice for his daughter and for his family,” LaFlamme said.
LaFlamme said Sinclair took a number of fentanyl pills and then got into a fight with his cellmate. He alleges Sinclair was restrained and eventually went into cardiac arrest. He alleges that while in distress, Sinclair was assaulted. LaFlamme said Sinclair was taken to hospital, where he was in a coma and suffering from swelling in his brain. He said Sinclair died around 3:30 or 4 p.m. Tuesday.
He had been in the remand centre for about a month and a half for not paying traffic tickets, LaFlamme said.
On Tuesday evening, Alberta Justice confirmed an inmate taken to hospital Sunday had died there Tuesday. Spokeswoman Michelle Davio said in an email that the ministry’s “best information” was that the inmate’s medical distress was not related to a physical assault.
“The incident will be reviewed internally and a fatality inquiry will take place, as is standard procedure in the event of any inmate death,” Davio said in an email.
Edmonton Police Service spokeswoman Cheryl Sheppard confirmed by email Tuesday that on Sunday police were investigating the report of someone being taken to hospital from the remand centre, but said she could not provide any further information.
LaFlamme has started a Facebook group to boost awareness about his friend’s death and a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to raise money to help pay for Sinclair’s funeral.
Sinclair, nicknamed “JBO” by his friends, had a nine-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
LaFlamme and Sinclair have known each other for 16 years. They met while in custody.
“I consider him one of my brothers,” he said.
Both men have a spent much of their lives in the correctional system, but LaFlamme said that doesn’t mean Sinclair’s death should be shrugged off. He said despite his friend’s struggles with the justice system and drugs, he was a good person who deserves justice.
“He’s had his time with drug addictions and he’s been in and out of prison … but people are still good people.”