"The high-profile proceedings, which were supposed to resume Monday with a new coroner, were abruptly adjourned after 10 minutes due to a motion expected to be filed by the family of inmate Ashley Smith.
The motion, set to be filed Tuesday, wants the inquest to be completely restarted after the last presiding coroner Dr. Bonita Porter stepped down. It argues that evidence already heard needs to be re-entered and a new jury needs to be selected."
POSTMEDIA NEWS;
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BACKGROUND: Ashley Smith, 19, died in her prison cell at Grand Valley Institution near Kitchener, Ont., in October 2007 from self-strangulation. She had been transferred between federal institutions 17 times during her final 11 months, most of that time kept in segregation and often on suicide watch dressed in a highly restrictive gown. Jailed at age 13 for a crab apple-throwing incident in New Brunswick, Smith was eventually transferred to an adult facility after she kept getting into trouble behind bars by constantly kicking, grabbing and spitting at guards. Lawyer's for her family and the media had successfully attacked then presiding Coroner Dr. Bonita Porter's efforts to limit the scope and evidence to be called at the inquest which is currently on hold. Dr. John Carlisle has been appointed by Chief Coroner Dr. Andrew McCallum to take over the Inquest. The inquest is of interest to this Blog because it relates to the openness of public death investigations - and the necessity to ensure that deaths warranting inquests get full scrutiny.
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"TORONTO — The coroner's inquest looking into the death of a 19-year-old woman in an Ontario prison cell nearly four years ago has been delayed again," the Postmedia story filed earlier today under the heading, "Ashley Smith inquest delayed, again," begins.
"The high-profile proceedings, which were supposed to resume Monday with a new coroner, were abruptly adjourned after 10 minutes due to a motion expected to be filed by the family of inmate Ashley Smith," the story continues.
"The motion, set to be filed Tuesday, wants the inquest to be completely restarted after the last presiding coroner Dr. Bonita Porter stepped down. It argues that evidence already heard needs to be re-entered and a new jury needs to be selected.
The inquest only heard three days of evidence and two witnesses when it began last May. Lawyers for a dozen interested parties in the case were told to return Sept. 19 for arguments on the motion.
Smith — a mentally troubled woman — died in October 2007 after choking herself with a piece of cloth while segregated in a prison cell at the Grand Valley Institution in Kitchener, Ont.
The inquest, expected to last from six to nine months, has been delayed numerous time due to legal motions and criticism."
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The story can be found at:
http://www.vancouversun.com/Ashley+Smith+inquiry+delayed+again/5389653/story.html
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;
