Anti-racism group calls for release of video in connection with Montreal jail death
Quebec's ombudsman asked to investigate alleged systemic discrimination in the case
Sabrina Jonas · CBC News · Posted: Jan 07, 2023 1:51 PM ET | Last Updated: January 7
A Montreal-based anti-racism group is calling for the immediate release of any existing video evidence of a physical altercation that took place in a city jail and led to the death of an illegally detained man just before Christmas.
Nicous D'Andre Spring, 21, died at Montreal's Bordeaux jail on Dec. 24 when guards fitted his head with a spit hood and pepper-sprayed him twice. A judge had ordered Spring be released from the detention centre the day before, but he and two other inmates were still in custody a day later.
The Red Coalition, a non-profit lobbying organization assisting Spring's family, held a news conference Saturday morning. They said authorities have left the family in the dark concerning their son's death.
Alain Babineau, Red Coalition spokesperson and former RCMP officer, said it would "only make sense" to have any relevant detention centre video footage released directly to the family so they can get some of their questions answered "once and for all."
"There are versions of the people at the scene, but the family doesn't believe it, the community doesn't believe it, and what better than a video to understand what happened, like during the police intervention?" said Babineau.
The group made several other demands, including an investigation by Quebec's ombudsman into whether systemic discrimination played a role in Spring's death, a public coroner's inquiry, an independent autopsy and the creation of a citizens' committee to oversee the Quebec correctional system.
"The idea here is a question of trust," said Babineau. "When the community has lost faith in government institutions, including those that work for the government institutions ... by having this independent inquiry ... as well as an independent autopsy, then we'll give some reprieve and solace to the family."
Spring's relatives were initially expected to speak at the news conference, but elected not to do so on the advice of their legal council.
More proof of systemic racism, says group
Since Spring's death, a manager and a prison guard have been suspended pending the results of several investigations, including from the provincial police and the coroner's office.
According to the Red Coalition, Spring's death is further proof of systemic racism in Quebec's correctional institutions — something Premier François Legault and the Coalition Avenir Québec government have repeatedly refused to recognize.
David Austin, a humanities professor at John Abbott College and a member of the group, says this case is part of a pattern of systemic racism that has spanned decades. That's why, he said, the group is asking the Quebec ombudsman to look into alleged systemic discrimination linked to this case and others like it.
"We know that Black folks are disproportionately arrested and detained and incarcerated, right? All of this is factually true," he said. "And it's absolutely true that the absence of recognition that there's a systematic, systemic, ongoing structural problem to do with race in this country contributes to and facilitates the kind of actions that we've seen."
Spring appeared in court on Dec. 23 on charges of assaulting a peace officer, criminal harassment and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. He was also facing two counts of failing to comply with a condition of release. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Quebec's Public Security Ministry has described Spring's detention as "illegal" because he was ordered by a judge to be released on Dec. 23 but was still behind bars the next day when he suffered injuries leading to his death.
Joël DeBellefeuille, founder of the Red Coalition, said this negligence, along with inexperienced correctional officers at the Bordeaux prison facility, is largely to blame for Spring's life being cut short.
"A young Black man lost his life because of clerical flaws and poor judgment," he said.
"How are we, as a community, going to ensure that nothing — I said nothing — like this happens again to any of our loved ones?"
The Public Security Ministry has said it will conduct an administrative investigation into the events that occurred, "including, in particular, the illegal detentions."
In a statement to CBC Montreal Saturday, the ministry said it not ruling out any future options, including a public inquiry, but it said it must wait on the results of the criminal investigation.
Quebec's ombudsman said it does not comment on specific situations as its procedures are carried out privately.
Sabrina Jonas · CBC News · Posted: Jan 07, 2023 1:51 PM ET | Last Updated: January 7
A Montreal-based anti-racism group is calling for the immediate release of any existing video evidence of a physical altercation that took place in a city jail and led to the death of an illegally detained man just before Christmas.
Nicous D'Andre Spring, 21, died at Montreal's Bordeaux jail on Dec. 24 when guards fitted his head with a spit hood and pepper-sprayed him twice. A judge had ordered Spring be released from the detention centre the day before, but he and two other inmates were still in custody a day later.
The Red Coalition, a non-profit lobbying organization assisting Spring's family, held a news conference Saturday morning. They said authorities have left the family in the dark concerning their son's death.
Alain Babineau, Red Coalition spokesperson and former RCMP officer, said it would "only make sense" to have any relevant detention centre video footage released directly to the family so they can get some of their questions answered "once and for all."
"There are versions of the people at the scene, but the family doesn't believe it, the community doesn't believe it, and what better than a video to understand what happened, like during the police intervention?" said Babineau.
The group made several other demands, including an investigation by Quebec's ombudsman into whether systemic discrimination played a role in Spring's death, a public coroner's inquiry, an independent autopsy and the creation of a citizens' committee to oversee the Quebec correctional system.
"The idea here is a question of trust," said Babineau. "When the community has lost faith in government institutions, including those that work for the government institutions ... by having this independent inquiry ... as well as an independent autopsy, then we'll give some reprieve and solace to the family."
Spring's relatives were initially expected to speak at the news conference, but elected not to do so on the advice of their legal council.
More proof of systemic racism, says group
Since Spring's death, a manager and a prison guard have been suspended pending the results of several investigations, including from the provincial police and the coroner's office.
According to the Red Coalition, Spring's death is further proof of systemic racism in Quebec's correctional institutions — something Premier François Legault and the Coalition Avenir Québec government have repeatedly refused to recognize.
David Austin, a humanities professor at John Abbott College and a member of the group, says this case is part of a pattern of systemic racism that has spanned decades. That's why, he said, the group is asking the Quebec ombudsman to look into alleged systemic discrimination linked to this case and others like it.
"We know that Black folks are disproportionately arrested and detained and incarcerated, right? All of this is factually true," he said. "And it's absolutely true that the absence of recognition that there's a systematic, systemic, ongoing structural problem to do with race in this country contributes to and facilitates the kind of actions that we've seen."
Spring appeared in court on Dec. 23 on charges of assaulting a peace officer, criminal harassment and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. He was also facing two counts of failing to comply with a condition of release. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Quebec's Public Security Ministry has described Spring's detention as "illegal" because he was ordered by a judge to be released on Dec. 23 but was still behind bars the next day when he suffered injuries leading to his death.
Joël DeBellefeuille, founder of the Red Coalition, said this negligence, along with inexperienced correctional officers at the Bordeaux prison facility, is largely to blame for Spring's life being cut short.
"A young Black man lost his life because of clerical flaws and poor judgment," he said.
"How are we, as a community, going to ensure that nothing — I said nothing — like this happens again to any of our loved ones?"
The Public Security Ministry has said it will conduct an administrative investigation into the events that occurred, "including, in particular, the illegal detentions."
In a statement to CBC Montreal Saturday, the ministry said it not ruling out any future options, including a public inquiry, but it said it must wait on the results of the criminal investigation.
Quebec's ombudsman said it does not comment on specific situations as its procedures are carried out privately.
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Archive
2023
January
Family of Montreal man killed while unlawfully jailed wants systemic racism inquiryLa famille de l’homme demande une enquête sur le racisme systémiqueSystemic racism inquiry called for by family of man who died after being pepper-sprayed at Bordeaux prisonDétenu mort à la prison de Bordeaux: une coalition exige plus de transparence sur le milieu carcéralUN GROUPE ANTIRACISTE RÉCLAME UNE ENQUÊTE PUBLIQUE SUR LA MORT DU DÉTENU DE BORDEAUXRights group seeks public inquiry into death of man in Montreal jailLobby group seeks public inquiry in Montreal man's jail deathAnti-racism group calls for release of video in connection with Montreal jail deathCivil rights group calls for inquiry into death of illegally jailed 21-year-old black manUne coalition réclame la publication de la vidéo de l’interventionLobby group seeks public inquiry, release of video in Montreal man’s jail deathAnti-racism group claims Quebec told Longueuil police to ignore court order on racial profilingAllison Hanes: Montreal prison death demands urgent answersRed Coalition: Quebec ministry told Longueuil police force to defy court order on racial profilingQuebec told Longueuil police to disregard court order on racial profiling, says anti-racism groupCivil rights group accuses Quebec of covering up race-based police dataQue s’est-il passé à Bordeaux ?Public inquiry ordered into jail death of illegally detained Montreal manPublic inquest to be held into death of man in Montreal jailChief coroner orders public inquiry into death of 21-year-old illegally detained at Bordeaux jailCoroner orders public inquiry into Montreal man's jail deathIl y aura une enquête publique du coroner sur la mort de Nicous SpringRed Coalition calling for investigation into systemic racism in Quebec jailsChief Coroner orders public inquiry into death of Nicous SpringPolice union head tells Montreal's new chief: staffing shortages 1st, community policing 2ndPROFILAGE RACIAL: UNE PLAINTE OFFICIELLE DÉPOSÉE CONTRE LA VILLE DE LONGUEUILCoalition alleges contempt of court against LongueuilPROFILAGE RACIAL: «LA CAQ DOIT TENIR SES PROMESSES», ESTIME LA COALITION ROUGEGroups to kick off Black History Month with measures to fight racism
February
Anti-racism group accuses Montreal-area school of systemic racismCalls grow to change streets named after Christopher Columbus on island of MontrealQuebec sisters afraid to go school, say racism complaints ignoredGroup says private school near Montreal ignored racism complaintsCas de racisme et de cyberintimidation au Collège Bourget de RigaudUn citoyen souhaite «annuler» Christophe Colomb à Pointe-ClaireRACISME ET CYBERINTIMIDATION: LE COLLÈGE BOURGET MIS EN DEMEUREBlack anti-racism groups lob volleys at Canada and QuebecProminent Quebeckers voice support for Trudeau’s anti-Islamophobia representativeProminent Québecers plead for federal anti-Islamophobia rep to be given a chancePetition against Bill 21 tabled at National AssemblyMontreal police brotherhood says it's too easy to blame its members for racial profilingLongueuil, other Quebec police slow in implementing race-based data frameworkAucune accusation ne sera portée contre les policiers qui ont tué Junior OlivierCalls for police accountability as officers who fatally shot Jean René Olivier face no chargesLack of care on Loyola property "unacceptable":DeBellefeuilleGroups call to cancel puppet show featuring minstrel characterUn spectacle pour enfants sème la controverse dans l’ouest de MontréalUn exemple de « racisme systémique », dénoncent des associationsLocal Montreal play carries on despite upset over controversial puppetFamily of man killed by Repentigny police says lawsuit incomingLa mère de Jean-René Junior Olivier poursuit la Ville de RepentignyLa mère de Jean-René Junior Olivier, abattu par des policiers de Repentigny en août 2021, a déposé une poursuite contre la Ville de RepentignyFamily of Black man killed by Repentigny police files to sue city for $430K in damages
March
Red Coalition alleges SPVM withholding findings on racial profilingAnti-racism group says Montreal police withheld findings of racial profiling reportUN GROUPE ANTIRACISTE AFFIRME QUE LE SPVM A RETENU LES CONCLUSIONS D'UN RAPPORT SUR LE PROFILAGE RACIALThis boarded-up building lays bare Montreal's crumbling social housing systemCity of Longueuil facing contempt charges related to police racial profilingLE PROFILAGE RACIAL EXERCÉ PAR LA POLICE DANS LA MIRE DU MINISTRE BONNARDELQuebec Bill on police practices facing criticismEthics complaint filed against Montreal executive committee chairperson"Smokescreen; a dog and pony show"City of Longueuil, Que. gets postponement of contempt of court charges
May
Pearson Board denies allegations of systemic racism, assaultAllegations of discrimination and racism at Montreal-area elementary schoolPlea to integrate permanent residents into Quebec police forcesPlaidoyer pour intégrer des résidents permanents au sein des corps policiers québécoisPolicier au Québec: un métier encore fermé aux résidents permanents
July
Red Coalition to SPVM: amend random stops policyLa Coalition rouge presse le SPVM de «réviser» sa Politique d’interpellationRed Coalition demanding Montreal police review street checks policyUn groupe de pression veut recenser l’ethnicité des personnes interpelléesAnti-racism group wants Montreal police to review street check policy'Unusual time to be driving': Anti-racism group calls on Montreal police to modify street checksKirkland resident says he was pulled over in NDG for being BlackLaval police handcuff, illegally search Black military man’s home after street check: Red CoalitionLaval man accuses police of racial profiling, intends to file human rights complaintMilitary aerospace engineer says he was racially profiled by Laval policeCanadian Forces’ member out for run ‘mocked,’ alleges racial profiling by policeMan alleges random police stop in South Shore led to illegal search, fine for contraband cigarettesMontreal man to file human rights complaint over traffic stop by Roussillon police‘Gross incompetence:’ Man ticketed for contraband cigarettes says he was racially profiled
September
October
Montreal man handcuffed, fined after SQ traffic stop; racial profiling complaint filedAnti-racism group says two Black Montreal firefighters faced years of racial abuseBlack Montreal firefighters allege racism in the workplaceLe Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal visé par une plainte devant la Commission des droits de la personneUne plainte déposée contre le SIM pour racisme et discrimination systémiqueAnti-racism group says two Black Montreal firefighters faced years of racial abuse«Mot en n»: des pompiers de Montréal victimes de racisme portent plainte2 Black firefighters in Montreal faced years of racial abuse, anti-racism group says
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