SUDBURY — An inquest has been scheduled into the death of David Gourley, a 57-year-old man who died in Sudbury in 2018 following an interaction with Ontario Provincial Police, Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner announced Tuesday.
Dr. Harry Voogjarv, Regional Supervising Coroner for the North Region based in Sudbury, confirmed that proceedings will begin on Monday, September 8, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. The inquest will be overseen by Dr. James Kovacs, who has been appointed as presiding officer, with Peter Napier serving as inquest counsel.
Circumstances of the Case
According to the coroner’s office, Mr. Gourley died on July 17, 2018, at Health Sciences North Hospital in Sudbury, five days after an encounter with officers from the Ontario Provincial Police on July 12, 2018. Few details of the incident have been made public, but as with all such cases, the inquest will examine the full circumstances leading to his death.
The central mandate of an inquest is not to assign blame or civil liability, but to establish the facts and to consider what systemic changes might help prevent similar tragedies in the future. The jury, composed of community members, may issue recommendations to government agencies, law enforcement, health authorities, or other relevant institutions.
Focus and Structure of the Inquest
Dr. Voogjarv’s announcement emphasized the public interest role of the inquiry. “The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding Mr. Gourley’s death. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths,” the statement read.
The hearing is expected to last four days and will call testimony from approximately four witnesses. Such a limited witness list suggests the inquest will focus tightly on the events of July 2018, the subsequent medical treatment, and any systemic considerations that may have contributed to Gourley’s death.
The proceedings will take place virtually via video conference, a format that has become common for Ontario inquests in recent years. Members of the public and media will be able to observe the proceedings live through an online link provided by First Class Facilitation, the official technology partner for the Office of the Chief Coroner.
Public Access and Transparency
The Ministry of the Solicitor General has directed interested observers to the official viewing portal at: firstclassfacilitation.ca. Additional background on Ontario’s inquest process is available on the province’s website: ontario.ca/page/coroners-inquests.
Public access to these hearings is considered a cornerstone of the inquest process, ensuring that families, advocates, and the wider community can bear witness to how questions of accountability and prevention are addressed. While recommendations from inquests are not legally binding, they frequently lead to policy reviews, training updates, or institutional reforms.
Broader Context
Ontario law requires that an inquest be held whenever a death occurs in custody or as a result of police intervention. The goal is to ensure independent oversight and public accountability, particularly in cases where individuals die after interactions with law enforcement or while receiving institutional care.
Inquests such as the one into Gourley’s death often highlight systemic issues in policing, mental health response, and emergency care. Past proceedings in Ontario have led to recommendations ranging from improved police training on crisis intervention, to better communication protocols between hospitals and law enforcement, to reforms in how vulnerable individuals are supported during encounters with authorities.
While it remains unclear what specific issues will be raised in the Gourley inquest, the outcome will be closely watched by legal observers, community advocates, and police oversight organizations in northern Ontario and beyond.
Looking Ahead
The inquest into David Gourley’s death, now seven years after the incident, is expected to provide long-awaited answers for his family and the broader Sudbury community. For some, it will also represent an opportunity to push for systemic change in how police and health services respond to individuals in crisis.
As the proceedings unfold in September, the jury’s findings and recommendations could carry significant weight in shaping future policy across the province. Whether they address police training, emergency protocols, or hospital procedures, the ultimate aim, as Dr. Voogjarv stressed, will be to prevent further deaths under similar circumstances.