Report on RPC inmate Kinew James' death to remain unsealed

Saskatchewan's Office of the Chief Coroner has failed to keep a report under wraps about a woman who died while in custody.

Kinew James, 35, died three years ago of an apparent heart attack while being held at the Regional Psychiatric Centre in Saskatoon, a federal prison.

Inmates in neighbouring cells alleged that guards ignored her calls for help for at least an hour, even turning off her distress alarm triggered by a button in her cell.

On Tuesday, the Office of the Chief Coroner asked a Queen's Bench judgeto seal a Board of Investigation report into James' death, produced for the Correctional Service of Canada.

Court was told the Chief Coroner's Office got the report from the federal Department of Justice, and thatallowing the report to be made public would violate conditions under which the report was passed on.

But today thejudge ruled there is no justification for keeping the report secret.

The report is expected to come up in court next month when the Elizabeth Fry Society argues it should be granted legal standing at the coroner's inquest into James' death.

In November, the inquest coroner denied Elizabeth Fry standing, and Elizabeth Fry has applied for a judicial review of that decision.

Lawyers are expected to argue the case at Court of Queen's Bench on February 4.