NLIS 3
June 5, 2000
(Justice)

No judicial inquiry will be held into the death of John Careen

Justice Minister and Attorney General Kelvin Parsons has confirmed that there will be no judicial inquiry into the death of John Careen, the 43-year-old man who fell from a seventh floor window at St. Clare�s Mercy Hospital in St. John�s, in July 1998.

An investigation was conducted into Mr. Careen�s death by the chief medical examiner, in accordance with the Fatalities Investigation Act and recommendations were made to the hospital.

In addition, an independent team of professionally-trained medical experts was retained to review all suicides that have occurred within the last 10 years, at all institutions which come under the auspices of the St. John�s Health Care Corporation. This review took place in February and

March of 1999, and the consultants issued an 18-page report containing many recommendations. This report was made public in September 1999.

Under the old Summary Proceedings Act (now the Provincial Offences Act), a judge conducting an inquiry only has the authority to determine the identity of the deceased, as well as the date, time, place, circumstances, cause and manner of death, and to make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.

"The chief medical examiner did not recommend an inquiry in this case, and given his investigation, coupled with the independent review and recommendations made, I am satisfied there is no public purpose to be served by a judicial inquiry," said Minister Parsons.

The minister further explained that, "in an inquiry, a judge is specifically precluded from making any findings of legal responsibility or conclusions of law, as these are matters that can only be properly dealt with in the context of civil or criminal court proceedings."

Media contact: Kathy Dicks-Peyton, Communications, (709) 729-6564.

2000 06 05                                                     12:00 p.m.