DRUG USE HIGH AT JAIL

Inquiry Finds Inmate Died Of Accidental Overdose

An official at a Burritts Rapids jail facility told a coroner's inquest
that about 90% of the inmates use drugs while they're there.

Taking the stand as the final witness at the inquest into Joseph Harrich's
1999 death, Rideau Corrections Centre deputy superintendent Tom McHale said
that no matter how much the employees try to keep them out, the inmates
find ways to get the drugs in. However, he said that about only half of
that 90% are actually involved in smuggling the drugs into the institution.

LETHAL MIX

Harrich, who was sentenced to jail in 1999 for assault with a weapon,
assault causing bodily harm, and forcible confinement, died in the early
morning hours of June 4, 1999, three days after his cell at the treatment
centre of the institution was searched for contraband.

After two days of evidence, the five-person jury reiterated the results of
the police investigation and found that Harrich died of an accidental drug
overdose. They made no recommendations.

RCMP forensic toxicologist Marthe Dalpe-Scott yesterday told the jury that
she found evidence of anti-depressants, morphine and marijuana in Harrich's
system.

A nurse testified Wednesday that Harrich had been administered the
anti-depressants as well as medication for migraines and sleeping pills.

Dalpe-Scott said she found no evidence that the migraine medication or the
sleeping pills had been ingested.

Although the amount of morphine found in his system is sometimes found in
some seriously ill patients who are prescribed the medication, it wasn't on
the list of medications administered to Harrich. Some grey pills found in
his cell also contained morphine and are often used on the street as a
substitute for heroin.

Dalpe-Scott also said that the amount of marijuana found in Harrich's blood
and urine was very high.

"It represents a chronic habitual user," she said. "It indicates someone
who uses every couple of days to twice a day -- definitely not your weekend
variety."

Even though none of the drugs in his system alone was enough to kill
Harrich, Dalpe-Scott said that the combination was enough to shut down his
central nervous system and kill him.

SMUGGLED INTO JAIL

No one offered an explanation of how Harrich got the drugs, but McHale gave
the jury some possibilities, including having someone throw them over the
perimeter wall or a visitor putting them in the washroom for an inmate on
cleaning duty to find.

Keeping inmate rights in mind, McHale said officials at the jail do
everything possible to keep drugs out.

Since Harrich's death, the daily perimeter searches at the institution have
been increased to twice daily.