Supreme Court Justice Glen Noel shaved six months off a 27-year-old inmate’s four-year sentence
A Newfoundland judge reduced an inmate’s time in jail after ruling that “harsh conditions” inside a notorious St. John’s facility during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the offender’s mental and physical health issues.
“Although these measures were intended to protect inmates from COVID-19 infection, their unintended consequence was a negative impact on the mental health, physical health, and rehabilitation of inmates, especially so for those predisposed by pre-existing conditions, as is Mr. Slade,” he wrote. The oldest part of Her Majesty’s Penitentiary was built in 1865, and its crumbling infrastructure has been underlined in several reports investigating the dismal conditions inside. Noel’s decision includes an entire section devoted to Slade’s descriptions of the “infestation” of rodents inside the facility’s walls and ceilings.
The decision says Slade also spent time in segregation, sometimes because he’d acted out in frustration and other times because he was suicidal. He was housed for a time in an older part of the jail where there aren’t any common areas or spots for recreation, nor is their enough privacy to use the undergarments discreetly, Noel said.
The provincial government has long promised to replace the jail, and officials said in November they had chosen a company to submit a proposal for a new 276-bed facility by the end of this year.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Farmers plant a record amount of wheat, prompted by surging pricesHeat and dry conditions in the West in recent years prompted many farmers to seek crops that could withstand an increasingly harsh climate
Read more »
Weight loss among endangered orcas off West Coast sparks concernWashington researchers say 12 orcas in a group of southern resident killer whales are in poor condition, with scarcity of salmon attributed to their worsening health and slow growth
Read more »
Jihadis attack jail in Nigeria's capital, 600 inmates escapeAt least 600 inmates escaped in a jailbreak in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city, officials said Wednesday, blaming the attack on Islamic extremist rebels.
Read more »
Jail time for Charlottetown resident who drove drunk onto lawn | SaltWireExplore stories from Atlantic Canada.
Read more »
Conditions at a St. John's prison are so bad, some inmates are getting time off their sentences | CBC NewsHer Majesty's Penitentiary was built in the 1850s, and is known for its crumbling infrastructure and persistent rodent problems. Those issues are leading courts to grant time-served credits to some inmates.
Read more »
Greg Fertuck trial on wife’s killing delayed until 2023 | Globalnews.caGreg Fertuck stood several times during Wednesday's court appearance to address the judge, expressing concern about his counsels handling of his case and certain evidence.
Read more »