THUNDER BAY – An inquest into the 2014 death of a 44-year-old man while in police custody has been postponed.
Don Mamakwa died on Aug. 13, 2014, after being found in medical distress while in the custody of the Thunder Bay Police Service.
Paramedics were called to police headquarters on Balmoral Street, where Mamakwa was found deceased.
In June 2015, Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit determined there were no reasonable grounds to charge any police officer with a criminal offence, but the SIU did find issues with the manner in which Mamakwa had been cared for while in custody.
Specifically the SIU determined that after asking to be taking to hospital because of shortness of breath, one of the arresting officers refused, claiming paramedics had cleared Mamakwa’s health.
The inquest, mandatory under the Coroners Act, was scheduled to begin on June 3.
No reason was given for the delay.
