Inquest into EMDC death underway after delays

Murray Davis was only 24-years-old when he died while in custody at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre on Aug. 17, 2017.

Now five years later, the inquest into his death got underway Monday via Zoom.

“After all this time the family is still searching for answers,” said Kevin Egan, who represents the Davis family. “When a loved one passes away and you don’t know all of the details, it’s agonizing.”

This is the fifth inquest involving deaths at the EMDC that Egan has been involved with, and he has 16 others that still have to be dealt with including one from last week.

“Something has to change, either the inquest process has to speed up or the rate of deaths has to slow down,” explained Egan.

The jury heard that Davis died from a drug overdose, a combination of fentanyl and hydromorphone.

Egan added, “These institutions need to do more than just house the inmates, rehabilitation is needed.”

The inquest is expected to hear from 13 witnesses in all with the jury’s recommendations expected by the end of the week.