Corrections officer charged in death of inmate William Ahmo: Manitoba RCMP
Manitoba RCMP have charged a corrections officer in the death of an inmate at Headingley Correctional Centre last year.
William Ahmo, 45, died in hospital on Feb. 14, 2021, after a standoff with corrections officers on Feb. 7, 2021.
Following an "extensive investigation," RCMP arrested and charged 43-year-old Robert Jeffrey Morden in his death. He has been charged with criminal negligence causing death and failing to provide the necessities of life.
The charges have not been proven in court.
RCMP said officers responded to reports of a man who was unresponsive at the correctional centre on Feb. 7 and that same day the Major Crime Services took over the investigation.
Investigators determined there was a "prolonged standoff" between correction officers and an inmate in a common area at the jail.
RCMP said the standoff ended when the correctional centre's Critical Emergency Response Team took the inmate from the area.
After being taken out of the area, investigators said the inmate, who was identified as Ahmo, became unresponsive and was taken to hospital in medical distress, where he died one week later.
The Chief Medical Examiner's Office of Manitoba said Ahmo's death was, "the result of a homicide."
In a statement from Ahmo's family, they say they are "relieved, grateful and cautiously optimistic after learning that the RCMP have charged a correctional officer."
Ahmo's mother Darlene thanked RCMP in an emailed statement, saying, "This has been an incredibly hard time for our family. Knowing that we may see the people who took Will from us held accountable gives us hope." "The RCMP has been respectful to our family through this process, and we are grateful for the professional manner that they conducted the investigation and stayed in contact with us."
The family said this is the first step in a long journey to justice and accountability, adding it will be monitoring the criminal proceedings.
"Now we want to see justice happen," said Derrick Henderson, Chief of Sagkeeng First Nation, Ahmo's home community. "Now let's wait and see what happens as it goes through the legal avenue that it has to go through now."
An internal email from Manitoba's Correctional Services Division obtained by CTV News that was sent to corrections staff in response to the charges alleges Ahmo was armed and posed a threat to staff.
"Although there was a tragic outcome, we believe staff were acting in good faith to control the critical incident," the email reads. "We recognize the impact of this tragic incident on involved staff, as well as our team more broadly, and we continue to support our staff in dealing with it."
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas said there have been too many deaths in correctional facilities in Manitoba.
"How many more of our First Nations people must die because of the racism encountered in these so-called correctional facilities? How can the system that prides itself on protecting people, allow for so many people to die?" he said in a statement.
Dumas said he is calling on the province, as well as Canada, to fix what is happening in prisons.
"We should not make this conversation about over-representation of First Nations people in the jail system, we should not just make this about mental health. This is about the people who are working and running these institutions who are killing our people and getting away with it. We cannot let this stand any longer," he said.
The Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union, which represents correction workers, would not comment due to the ongoing investigation.
-with files from CTV's Danton Unger
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.