Inmate abused prescribed medication, says witness at inquest

Lisa Waddell, who was the prison’s acting assistant director at the time, testified on Dec. 10, 2019, McKenzie was admitted to the prison after he was arrested for breaching his release conditions by failing a drug test. He had been released from the psychiatric centre roughly three months prior.

Waddell explained Correctional Service of Canada policy dictates an inmate gets received first by the prison and then a recommendation will come afterward for transfer. She was then asked if there was ever a case where discretion was used otherwise.

“I’ve never heard of that occurring,” she said.

Waddell also confirmed she was aware McKenzie’s transfer to the psych centre was initiated on Feb. 25, the same day McKenzie mutilated his own nose and was ultimately sent to hospital in Prince Albert to be treated.

Over the course of the past two days, there’s been a lot of discussion regarding McKenzie’s long history of self-harm.

Holly Osecki, a nurse practitioner at Sask. Pen, met with McKenzie on Feb. 5, 2020, and treated McKenzie for multiple lacerations to his chest, forearms, and abdomen areas. McKenzie received close to 20 stitches.

“I didn’t see anything charted as to a reason,” she said when asked what the reason for self-harm was.

Commenting how McKenzie’s mental health had not improved since returning to the prison, Osecki said she was not sure why he was discharged in the first place from RPC.

When asked what she would do to help prevent similar deaths from happening in the future, she explained there’s no simple answer, and consideration has to be given to staffing levels and available resources.

“We all do the best we can do,” she said.

Osecki said her ideal would be a mental health unit at the prison that’s staffed 24 hours a day by nurses and mental health workers.

Ashley Kuzma, an occupational therapist at the prison, had a number of direct interactions with McKenzie through programs such as cooking classes or recreational activities such as volleyball. Earlier this week McKenzie was described as a quiet, shy guy, who was self-conscious about his nose.

“He was always participating,” Kuzma said, adding McKenzie, who also loved to draw, was always engaged and happy when interacting with others.

Following McKenzie’s self-harm incident on Feb. 5, Kuzma said instructions were made for an increased watch, and a plan was discussed with McKenzie with respect to a razor exchange and removing the sheets from his cell door. McKenzie was also provided with a pocket radio, something he identified as a coping tool because of his love for music, Kuzma said.

With respect to why McKenzie cut himself on Feb. 5, Kuzma said he divulged to her he was feeling anxious about an upcoming hearing and over the recent discontinuation of some anti-depressant medication he had been on while in the community.

Two days after the incident, McKenzie was returned to his range. Kuzma confirmed he confided to her he was having dark thoughts and considered asking to be taken to an observation cell.

However McKenzie ultimately decided against it, explaining to Kuzma going back to the range would be more beneficial as he had access to support, and said the recent coping mechanisms he learned were working.

Also testifying on Wednesday was a man not originally on the witness list but who contacted the inquest, claiming to have valuable information to contribute.

Shane Pattison, an inmate at Sask. Pen, had lived on the same range as McKenzie for the better part of two years, and the two often hung out together to play cards. Pattison described McKenzie as easygoing, who didn’t pick on anyone.

“He had his own struggles,” Pattison said, adding his friend often talked about his medication not working, or getting brushed off by mental health workers.

The specific reason why McKenzie’s medication was discontinued on Feb. 5, 2020, had not yet been provided for the inquest, but Pattison divulged his friend had been “cheeking” them every day.

“He offered me to snort them with him,” he said.

Reflecting back on the day McKenzie had returned to the range, a day after cutting off his nose off, Pattison said he was surprised to see his friend back so soon, adding he didn’t feel he was ready. Even McKenzie’s own assurances he was doing good, felt off to Pattison.

“It looked like he was ready to give up,” he said.

Pattison then recalled how McKenzie later asked if the guards had done their rounds yet, to which Pattison answered they had.

“He went quiet and all you could hear was bed sheets ripping,” Pattison described, adding at first all he thought was that his friend was putting up a privacy screen. Moments later, Pattison and others saw McKenzie hanging and immediately called for help.

Presiding Coroner Tim Hawryluk referred to Pattison’s testimony, specifically the misuse of prescribed drugs, as a critical piece of evidence.

“It seems there’s a significant blind spot there,” he said and asked Joele Fiddler, who was head of the prison’s health care at the time of McKenzie’s death, for a reaction.

“Yeah, that’s a surprise,” she said.

Fiddler was then further questioned by Hawryluk about what changes in relation to the prescription medication she would make, and she mentioned a number of possibilities including having a correctional officer in the hallway, consistent mouth checking and wait periods for medications.

“You can’t take everybody off the medication,” she said.

Fiddler also testified McKenzie had seen a psychiatrist at least eight times and a psychologist about three times. She added the recruitment of health care professionals in the prison is very difficult, and there is often a vacancy with respect to psychologists.

A total of 27 witnesses have been scheduled for this week’s inquest and the final ones are expected on Thursday.

Afterward, the jury will be sequestered and asked to come up with a list of recommendations they feel would help prevent similar deaths from happening in the future.

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If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of self-harm or experiencing suicidal thoughts, please contact:

Canada Suicide Prevention Service (1-833-456-4566), Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service (306-933-6200), Prince Albert Mobile Crisis Unit (306-764-1011), Regina Mobile Crisis Services (306-525-5333) or the Hope for Wellness Help Line, which provides culturally competent crisis intervention counseling support for Indigenous peoples at (1-855-242-3310).

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

Inmate abused prescribed medication, says witness at inquest

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