Week 3 at the Ashley Smith inquest
Canadian Press reporter Colin Perkel has been live tweeting since the beginning of the Ashley Smith coroner's inquest and his coverage has provided insight into both the details of what happened and the emotion behind the tragic event. All within the 140-character limit.
- Week 3 of the inquest got underway amid messy freezing rain in Toronto:
Sloppy morning as we await start of cross-examination of CX2 Blaine Phibbs, ex-front-line guard at Grand Valley Institution. #AshleySmith- Phibbs was one of the few guards who seemed to have a positive rapport with Smith. Disciplined for saving her a few times. #AshleySmith
- Howard Rubel, lawyer for Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, up first to cross Phibbs. Should be friendly. #AshleySmith
- Front-line guards (or primary workers) had no input into Smith treatment. ‘We were not included in her decisions’ #AshleySmith
- Phibbs once used a plastic shield to knock Smith's hands away from food slot. Managers debated destroying video of incident. #AshleySmith
- Phibbs told bosses: ‘Don’t destroy it. I’m fine with what happened.’ #AshleySmith
- Smith was at GVI for 12 weeks. Phibbs wrote 100 observation reports about her. Cut ‘at minimum 50 ligatures’ from her neck. #AshleySmith
- Phibbs says he saw her turn blue ‘at least 25’ times. Bit of a game going on in which she tried to entice officers into cell #AshleySmith
- During Smith's first stay at GVI (May 10 - June 26, 2007), Phibbs was commended by management/warden for intervening with her #AshleySmith
- Many occasions, guards would go in to remove ligatures. Lots of commotion, but no signs Smith was in any distress. #AshleySmith
- Result was reprimands for guards who entered her cell. 'Some managers' didn't like no-entry directive either. #AshleySmith
- Guards had to assess, through knee-level slot in door, if Smith in distress, whether breathing properly. She also hid herself. #AshleySmith
- No training given to guards as to how to assess distress. 'The only instruction we were given is: You'll know.' #AshleySmith
- Orders for Smith's 2nd stay: ‘Don’t enter the cell, as long as she’s breathing.’ Complained to managers. Union got involved. #AshleySmith
- Threats of discipline escalated as guards insisted on entering cell, even when turned dark purple. Never told to go in sooner. #AshleySmith
- Orders to guards in last week of her life: 'Remain vigilant,' 'do not over react,' don't be in 'heightened state' #AshleySmith
- Julian Falconer now on feet. 'Mr. Phibbs. You have been through an extraordinary journey.' #AshleySmith
- In hindsight, would you have gone into cell sooner? ‘Knowing now, that she passed away, yes, I would have gone in sooner’ #AshleySmith
- But he knew he was ordered against entering cell. Phibbs: still believes Smith never meant to kill herself. #AshleySmith
- Falconer: ‘U couldn’t save her life.’ Phibbs: ‘I also said I didn’t think she was going to complete her suicide.’ #AshleySmith
- Relationship between guards union and management was ‘tense.’ Smith was a 'hot potato,' Falconer says. #AshleySmith
- Smith was known to assault guards. So workaround (to preserve labour peace)? Don’t enter cell, Falconer says #AshleySmith
