2nd week of probe into Ashley Smith's death nears end
The inquest into the death of Moncton teenager Ashley Smith, who died in a cell at a southern Ontario correctional facility in 2007, is nearing the end of its second week.
Kim Pate, executive director of Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, a group that assists women involved in the criminal justice system, has been watching the inquest closely.
She said it has become increasingly clear that orders given to prison guards were in direct contrast to the way someone with a mental illness should be cared for.
"The very behaviour the staff were being encouraged to exhibit is the very behaviour that was inciting Ashley to, you know, engaging in risky behaviour to herself in order to get staff attention," said Pate.
She said it's sad that guards were repeatedly ordered to deny attention to a young person who so desperately wanted it. Based on testimony from the guards, Pate now believes that Smith, 19, did not intend to kill herself on the day she died.
Instead, she sees Smith's decision to choke herself with a ligature as the misguided cry for help of a troubled girl.
But Pate said Corrections Canada saw her as an issue to be dealt with, not as a person to be treated.
"It's hard to imagine how that kind of dehumanizing process happens, but it certainly happened," she said.
Pate will be following the remainder of the inquest, which could last up to 18 months. She said she hopes the proceedings lead to a better understanding of exactly who issued the orders to the guards, and why they made the decisions they did.
The could was told on Monday, a correctional officer fired after Smith choked herself to death was allowed to resign when criminal charges were dropped over the non-disclosure of key documents.
Prosecutors withdrew charges of criminal negligence causing death against Blaine Phibbs because Correctional Service Canada failed to turn over documents.
Phibbs said guards were never included in management plans for Smith.
He said he personally cut at least 50 ligatures from Smith's neck during her 12-week stay at the prison and saw her turn blue at least 25 times.
During her first stay in the spring of 2007, Phibbs said management praised him for intervening to stop Smith from choking.
That later changed and orders came down that guards were not to go into Smith's cell unless she had stopped breathing because it would only encourage the self-harming behaviour, Phibbs testified.
