An inquest will be held into the death of Evan Freeman, a 22-year-old man who died in 2019 following an interaction with police in Kingston, Ontario, the provincial government announced Monday.
In a news release issued Feb. 23, the Ministry of the Solicitor General said the proceeding has been formally called by Dr. Armita Rahmani, Regional Supervising Coroner for the East Region based in Kingston.
“Dr. Armita Rahmani, Regional Supervising Coroner, East Region, Kingston Office, has announced that an inquest will be held into the death of Evan Freeman.”
Freeman died on Sept. 12, 2019, the same day as his interaction with officers from Kingston Police.
“Mr. Freeman, 22 years old, died on September 12, 2019, following an interaction with officers from Kingston Police that occurred on September 12, 2019. An inquest into his death is mandatory under the Coroners Act.”
In Ontario, inquests are formal legal proceedings conducted under the authority of the Office of the Chief Coroner. They are typically required in certain circumstances, including deaths involving police officers or while a person is in custody. The purpose is not to assign criminal responsibility or civil liability, but to establish the facts surrounding a death and identify potential measures to prevent similar fatalities.
According to the ministry, the inquest will focus on reviewing the events and contributing factors related to Freeman’s death.
“The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Freeman’s death. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths.”
A coroner’s inquest is presided over by a coroner and heard by a five-member jury drawn from the community. During the proceedings, the jury listens to sworn testimony from witnesses, which can include medical experts, investigators, and others connected to the case. At the conclusion, jurors may deliver recommendations directed at institutions, agencies, or government bodies.
While those recommendations are not legally binding, they can influence policy, operational procedures, and training within public-sector organizations, including police services, correctional facilities, and health-care providers.
The Solicitor General’s ministry said additional logistical details have not yet been finalized.
“Further details regarding the inquest, including the date and venue, will be provided at a later date.”
Freeman’s death occurred during a period of increasing public scrutiny over police interactions and accountability across Canada, including in Ontario communities. Inquests, along with investigations conducted by Ontario’s police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit, form part of the province’s oversight framework.
Under provincial law, the Coroners Act requires inquests in specific categories of deaths, including those involving individuals detained by or in the custody of police. The process is designed to promote transparency and public confidence by ensuring an open examination of the facts.
The East Region, where the Kingston coroner’s office is located, covers a large geographic area that includes several municipalities and policing jurisdictions. Kingston, a city of about 130,000 residents located midway between Toronto and Montreal, is home to municipal police, provincial courts, and several correctional institutions.
Once scheduled, the inquest will be open to the public, and family members, legal representatives, and interested parties may be granted standing to participate. Proceedings can last from several days to several weeks, depending on the complexity of the evidence and number of witnesses.
The ministry directed members of the public seeking general information about the process to provincial resources explaining how inquests operate and their role in Ontario’s death investigation system.
For Freeman’s family and the broader Kingston community, the inquest represents the next formal step in understanding the circumstances surrounding his death more than six years ago.
The coroner’s office has not indicated how long it expects the inquest to take once it begins.