The BC Coroners Service has begun an inquest into the death of an inmate who died while being transferred to a Maple Ridge prison.
The inquest into the death of Alexander Charles Joseph started Monday, and will continue this week at the law courts in Prince George.
The death of Joseph, 36, was reported to the BC Coroners Service on Oct. 4, 2018. He died in a BC Corrections Branch vehicle on Highway 97 near 100 Mile House, while being transported from Prince George to Fraser Regional Correctional Centre in Maple Ridge.
The Coroners Act permits the chief coroner to direct an inquest if the chief coroner has reason to believe the public has an interest in being informed about the circumstances surrounding a death, or the death resulted from a dangerous practice or circumstance and similar deaths could be prevented through recommendations.
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Lyn Blenkinsop, presiding coroner, and a jury will hear evidence from witnesses under oath to determine the facts surrounding this death. The jury will have the opportunity to make recommendations aimed at preventing deaths under similar circumstances, however, a jury must not make any finding of legal responsibility or express any conclusion of law.
An inquest is a formal process that allows for public presentation of evidence relating to a death. The jury will certify the identity of the deceased and how, where, when and by what means death occurred.
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