ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Accused murderer Jonathan Henoche was found dead in a segregation unit cell at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary not long after an intense altercation with corrections officers, The Telegram has learned.
According to sources, the incident broke out during lunch hour at around 12:30 p.m. in unit 2B, the protective custody unit, at the St. John’s prison.
It reportedly started when Henoche made physical contact with a female corrections officer’s arm, and that led to a “smack-for-smack” fight between corrections officers and Henoche.
Shortly after, multiple staff members swarmed the unit.
A source told The Telegram said there was so much blood in the area, an outside agency had to be called in to clean it up.
“There’s more leaks from the penitentiary from this than there is from a sieve." — Bob Buckingham
Two corrections officers — a woman and a man — were sent to the medical unit, while Henoche was handcuffed behind his back and brought to segregation, the source said.
Once in segregation, Henoche was reportedly kicking corrections officers, which prompted them to put iron leg restraints on him.
When they checked on him five minutes later, the source said, he wasn’t breathing. Medical staff tried to revive him, administering CPR for about 40 minutes, but couldn’t revive him.
The province’s justice system confirmed that police are investigating.
Henoche was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 88-year-old Regula Schule of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, who was originally from Switzerland.
He was on remand awaiting his trial, which was set for June 2020.
Henoche’s lawyer, Bob Buckingham, said he will make a statement to reporters at 2:15 p.m. at Supreme Court in St. John’s.
However, he told The Telegram today, “I’m livid.”
He said besides the death of his client, he’s angry about information being leaked from HMP and “the self-serving comments coming out of the penitentiary.”
“There’s more leaks from the penitentiary from this than there is from a sieve,” he said.
Twitter: @TelyRosie
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