People incarcerated in Canada are not supposed to be abused, but five inmates allege that’s what happened to them in an Ottawa detention centre in 2012, and they are suing the provincial government for it.
The inmates are each seeking $700,000 saying they were subjected to “excessive force without any justification,” and then denied “proper medical attention” and refused access to a lawyer for several days. As they tell it, on April 13, masked guards with shields and batons entered their cells and kicked, punched, berated and slammed the inmates into the wall and floor.
The injuries included broken bones, severe bruising and a tooth injury that required a root canal.
None of the allegations has so far been proven in court.
The Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre ranks third in term of the highest number of complaints against correctional facilities in the province of Ontario, according to a 2012-13 report by the ombudsman who investigates such matters.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.