News Releases

Prairies Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SASKATOON, SK, January 10, 2008 - At approximately 8 a.m. this morning, an offender at the Regional Psychiatric Centre was found not breathing and unresponsive in his room following a lengthy illness.

The deceased is 76-year old palliative care patient, Brian Riestad. He was serving an indeterminate sentence. His sentence commenced on December 1, 1997. Next of kin have been notified.

He had been receiving medical treatment and care from the staff at the Regional Psychiatric Centre since July 13 2003. As it is the case whenever an offender dies while in custody, the police and coroner were notified and they attended the Centre.

The death may be the subject of a coroner's inquest as is common with any death of a person in custody.

The Regional Psychiatric Centre is a multi-level psychiatric hospital located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and operated by the Correctional Service of Canada through an affiliation agreement between Canada and the University of Saskatchewan. The Centre provides assessment, intensive programming, treatment for mental disorders, and 24-hour medical care to individuals from the federal and provincial justice systems. There are currently 174 patients receiving assessment and/or treatment at the Centre.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Jeff Campbell
Regional Manager Communications
Correctional Service of Canada
(306) 975-5082