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Inquest called into death of Stanley Cup rioter found in distress at pretrial centre in Port Coquitlam

William Ryan Fisher was found in medical distress in 2016
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An inquest has been scheduled into the death of an inmate who died after being transferred to Royal Columbian Hospital from the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam in 2016.

William Ryan Fisher, 30, was admitted into custodial sentence at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre on Feb. 19, 2016. But in the early hours of Feb. 21, he was found in medical distress and taken by Emergency Health Services to Royal Columbian where he died on Feb. 25.

Fisher received a three-year sentence for a variety of charges relating to the Stanley Cup riots.

He was found guilty along with anther man of aggravated assault for punching, kicking and stomping on Christopher Leveille that lead to a collapsed lung.

The B.C. Coroners Service has called the public inquest to review the circumstances of Fisher’s death and to explore whether there are opportunities for a jury to make recommendations that may prevent deaths in similar circumstances.

The inquest is scheduled to begin July 17, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. at the Burnaby Coroner’s Court.

Presiding coroner Larry Marzinzik and a jury will hear evidence from witnesses under oath to determine the facts surrounding Fisher’s death.

The jury will not be making any finding of legal responsibility or express any conclusion of law. The B.C. Cornoners Service gathers facts surrounding why a death took place to provide an independent service to the family, community, government agencies and other organizations.

For more information go to gov.bc.ca/coroners/.



Colleen Flanagan

About the Author: Colleen Flanagan

I got my start with Black Press Media in 2003 as a photojournalist.
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