Proceedings to Examine Circumstances Surrounding Deaths at Four Ontario Correctional Facilities
Inquest Expected to Hear From 18 Witnesses Over 10 Days
TORONTO — Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner has scheduled a joint inquest into the deaths of four men who died while in custody at correctional facilities across the province between 2019 and 2022.
Dr. Kenneth Peckham, Regional Supervising Coroner for the Central West Region; Dr. Karen Schiff, Regional Supervising Coroner for the West Region, Hamilton Office; Dr. Jennifer M. Dmetrichuk, Regional Supervising Coroner for the Toronto East Region; and Dr. Elizabeth Urbantke, Regional Supervising Coroner for the West Region, London Office, jointly announced that the inquest will begin on June 10, 2026.
The proceedings will examine the deaths of Shawn Spaulding, Kevin Mulholland, Derek Salonen and Jamie Briggs, all of whom died while in provincial custody at separate detention facilities in Ontario.
According to the announcement issued by the Ministry of the Solicitor General, the inquest will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Dr. Richard McLean will serve as the presiding officer, while Kristin Smith has been appointed as inquest counsel.
The four deaths occurred over a period spanning more than three years and involved correctional institutions located in different regions of the province.
Shawn Spaulding, who was 25 years old, died on March 3, 2019 while in custody at the Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton. Kevin Mulholland, 51, died on August 15, 2020 while in custody at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre.
Derek Salonen, 38, died on September 21, 2020 while in custody at the Toronto South Detention Centre. Jamie Briggs, 44, died on November 16, 2022 while in custody at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in London.
The Office of the Chief Coroner said the inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding all four deaths. Under Ontario’s Coroners Act, inquests are intended to publicly review the facts relating to a death and may result in recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future.
“The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Mr. Spaulding, Mr. Mulholland, Mr. Salonen, and Mr. Briggs. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths,” the announcement stated.
Coroners’ inquests in Ontario do not assign criminal or civil liability. Instead, juries are tasked with making findings about who died, and where, when, how and by what means the deaths occurred. Recommendations issued by juries are not legally binding but are often directed toward government ministries, institutions and agencies involved in public safety, health care and corrections.
The upcoming proceedings are expected to last up to 10 days and hear testimony from approximately 18 witnesses, according to the ministry.
The inquest will be conducted virtually through video conference, allowing members of the public to observe the proceedings online. Public access to the hearing will be provided through a livestream hosted by the Office of the Chief Coroner.
Ontario has held a number of inquests in recent years related to deaths in custody, with several resulting in recommendations focused on inmate health care, mental health supports, staff training and institutional oversight within the province’s correctional system.
The Ministry of the Solicitor General did not provide additional details regarding the circumstances of the four deaths in the announcement.
Members of the public wishing to view the proceedings live can access the video conference through the Office of the Chief Coroner’s online inquest portal. Additional information regarding coroners’ inquests in Ontario is available through the provincial government’s website.