News Releases

Quebec Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAVAL, QC, May 5, 2007 - On May 4, 2007, Mr. Gaston Duhamel, an inmate at Cowansville Institution, a medium-security penitentiary, died at the Cité de la Santé hospital in Laval further to an illness.

The inmate had recently been transported to the Cité de la Santé hospital for emergency care; he was pronounced dead by a doctor at the hospital.

Gaston Duhamel was 63 years old and had been serving a life sentence for second degree murder since June 26, 1996.

The police and the coroner are required to investigate all inmate deaths. Correctional Service Canada will also conduct an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the event.

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For more information, media representatives may contact:

Lucette l'espérance
Assistant Warden, Management Services
450-263-3073, ext. 2102