Editor’s Note: a previous version of this story contained a transcription error in a quote attributed to Kody Turner. The incorrect quote stated drones were used to “drop drugs into the guards”. It should have read “drop drugs into the yards”. The Daily Herald apologizes for the error.
The inquest into the 2022 death of Brendan Vermette began at the Coronet Hotel in Prince Albert on Tuesday.
The first afternoon of testimony began with comments from Kody Turner, the Saskatchewan Penitentiary corrections officer who discovered Vermette’s body in the early morning hours of March 9, 2022.
Vermette, 31, was found unconscious in his cell. EMS were called in and staff began life-saving efforts, but he was pronounced dead at 1:22 a.m.
Turner was roughly five years into his career as a corrections officer when he discovered Vermette’s body during the 1 a.m. cell check. On Tuesday, Turner said he knew something was wrong when Vermette did not respond to knocks, verbal requests, or the sound of a flashlight banging against the door.
Turner said there was a towel partially covering the cell window, making it difficult to see before entering the cell.
He testified that he left to get two other corrections officers who were on duty. Together they entered the cell, began CPR and administered NarCan, a medication designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose.
When asked about administering NarCan Turner testified that Vermette’s brother, who was incarcerated in the cell across the aisle, told the COs Brendan had taken fentanyl.
Turner and the COs continued life-saving measures until paramedics arrived and took over. After Vermette was pronounced dead, Turner stayed with the body until removal.
Vermette gave short, terse answers while being questioned for roughly an hour Tuesday afternoon. Much of the questioning focused on who performed the hourly cell checks at 11 p.m. and midnight.
Turner testified that he performed both cell checks, one of which was conducted with another CO on duty that night. He also identified himself in a security video showing COs checking cells an hour before finding Vermette’s body.
Turner said night checks are typically difficult.
When asked by Coroner Blaine Beavan how Vermette could have acquired drugs while incarcerated, Turner said drones.
“That’s a big way right now,” Turner testified. “They use drones and they drop drugs into the yards or right through the windows.
“It’s more prevalent now than it was at the time,” he added.
Turner testified that COs have a number of methods to keep inmates from accessing drugs. Among them are monthly cell searches, which sometimes involve taking everything out of the cell and taking x-rays to find hidden stashes. He said they don’t look in walls or bulkheads because they don’t have the tools to do so.
He said a manager will sometimes assign a CO to drone watches. The COs are not allowed to shoot the drones down, Turner testified. They instead must inform a manager, and begin efforts to retrieve whatever was dropped in the yard.
Sometimes, Turner testified, COs found crashed drones in the penitentiary yard.
Roughly a dozen of Vermette’s family and friends attended the first day of testimony, with some wearing t-shirts with Vermette’s face on the back of them. Family members were unavailable for comment as of press time.
The inquest is scheduled to resume on Wednesday morning. Three days have been set aside for it this week.
The Saskatchewan Coroners Service is responsible for the investigation of all sudden, unexpected deaths. The purpose of an inquest is to establish who died, when and where that person died and the medical cause and manner of death. The coroner’s jury may make recommendations to prevent similar deaths.
