MOM BLAMES DON JAIL FOR ADDICT SON'S MURDER

BRANTFORD -- The mother of a murdered Don Jail inmate contends his
slaying was a case of a known drug addict who was poorly handled in
detention.

Three Toronto men face first-degree murder charges after inmate Jeff
Munro, 32, was beaten with "fist and feet" Saturday night. Police were
called to the Gerrard St. E. jail just before 8 p.m. and found Munro
dead from facial trauma.

"This was unavoidable, but it never should have happened," a
heartbroken Christine Munro said yesterday from her Brantford home.

"Jeff was ill. He had a drug addiction that caused him to be ill and
unstable. The police knew him and how to handle him. The jail should
have known."

Police yesterday remained tight-lipped about details. Munro reportedly
was beaten in an area not monitored by cameras.

"It appears that an altercation occurred at the jail, but the type of
altercation, I don't have all the details, yet," Const. Tony Vella
said.

"It was a quick arrest in the afternoon after witnesses connected
their investigation."

[name redacted], 24, [name redacted], 22, and [name redacted],
21, have each been charged with first-degree murder. They are to
appear at College Park court this morning.

Munro was taken into custody four days earlier on a breach of
probation charge. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer on
Nov. 2 and his release conditions included not having access to
weapons and that he take anger management and drug abuse
counselling.

Munro was born and raised in Brantford, but worked in Toronto. He was
enrolled in dance lessons since he was two years old and as a young
adult won spots in the dance troupes of the Royal Caribbean and
Carnival cruise lines.

That was where he was introduced to crystal meth -- a highly addictive
drug.

"He had no concept of danger. He has been found without clothes, and
on the bluffs overlooking Lake Ontario," his mother said. But no
matter the turns life took, Jeff would always call her. Whenever she
heard police had picked him up, it was a blessing.

"Whenever that happened, I at least knew he was safe."

But when three months went by without a call, she became fearful that
something dreadful was happening. Munro said she had known something
would happen to her son some day, but she always thought it would be
from drugs.

"When the police showed up at the door, I knew it was about Jeff," she
said.

"But when they told me he was murdered in jail, I said: 'That's not
right. It should never have happened there.' "