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Drug trade thrives at Stony, inquest hears

By: Gabrielle Giroday

29/01/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 7

THE prison that houses the province's most dangerous inmates has an active drug trade despite extensive efforts to keep prisoners from getting high behind bars.The prevalence of drugs inside Stony Mountain Penitentiary, and the many ways prison staff try to find the drugs, was revealed during an inquest examining how three 28-year-old prisoners died of methadone overdoses.

The inquest began earlier this month to examine the deaths of Raynold Gerling and Shawn Jones in 2006 and Brian Palmquist in 2007.

All had used methadone, a synthetic narcotic used to treat people addicted to drugs like codeine, heroin or morphine.

Some Stony inmates are part of a prison program that prescribes and supervises their methadone use. However, officials believe some prisoners get the drug by illegally diverting it or by smuggling it into the prison -- with sometimes fatal results.

Daniel Angus, Manitoba Justice's counsel to the inquest, told provincial court Judge Rocky Pollack on Thursday that 80 per cent of the inmates in Stony Mountain are living with addictions.

He said he'd like to see emergency addictions intervention programs for inmates who are clearly using illegal drugs within the institution.

Angus said Palmquist exhibited "extremely risky" behaviour before he fatally overdosed in November 2007 following three prior incidents where prison officials caught him overdosing or using drugs. The death happened on the heels of the deaths of Jones and Gerling.

Angus said Stony security officials need to work with prison health officials to help monitor inmates who are showing signs of drug abuse.

Prisoners also need access to treatment like detoxification programs people on the streets can go to, he said.

"(Prisoners) need to have the same programs available," said Angus.

Pollack said there's been testimony during the proceedings that there's an active drug trade at Stony despite efforts by Correctional Service of Canada staff to control it.

Kirsty Elgert, counsel for the Correctional Service of Canada, said prison officials have used methods like cell searches, strip searches, ion scanners, drug dogs and tip-lines to try and learn how drugs are making their way into the prison. Staff now observe inmates swallowing and digesting their liquid methadone to ensure it's not being diverted, she said.

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 29, 2010 A4

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7 Commentscomment icon

@dyachison.... took the words out of my mouth

I have difficulty drumming up sympathetic feelings for the inmates. Their circumstances are generally a product of decisions they've made, and I personally think they've got it far too good in prison.

Search the visitors, and the guards, problem solved.
Until someone belly-aches that their rights have been violated.

Unfortunately, society's view of prison employees is such that very few self respecting people will consider the job. As such we end up with lesser talents than the job requires.
How we change that perception is the challenge to be dealt with.

I'm naive, but maybe No Visitors during their drug rehab.??? Emergency addictions intervention, I believe, is required. Eighty percent is a Big Number!!! I believe there is a big cause for concern here!! It may seem extreme, but since a lot of addictions are from the Oxy's, it should stop being manufactured. I have a young relative addicted to Prescribed Oxycontin for pain, and her future looks very grim. She has been on it for 7 years! I would like to see more addictions clinics for the prescribed Oxy's, before the "chosen" addicts. But, the "chosen" addicts require the help too. It's starting to look like a "losing battle". Our Governments Must Do Something Soon!!!! On "the outside" and on "the inside"!!!

There had to be an inquest done on this? The officials didn't know? Yikes...

It just amazes me that we spend so much on the criminals who steal from us, and kill us, and take from us in so many ways. These people make decisions to do what they do. We keep paying and paying and paying and they just keep doing what they do to us and themself. I am not sure what the answer is but it is like spending good money after bad. Especially when I see people in Haiti who have nothing. I just hate to see money spent on these people when they do not want to get cleaned up. I would rather spend money on those that deserve it not those who abuse it. It is clear that what we are doing is not working. With these drug dealers and users, can we not just pack them up and send them to Afganistan, where they would be closer to the drugs and let them fight off the Taliban. I am sorry but I am just tired of working every day so that I can paying for these guys so that they can get out and attack me, or steal my car, or burn down my house. Am I wrong for having these feelings? Why do we bother? How many of these people contribute to society?

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