A coroner’s inquest into the 2019 death of a psychiatric patient at Royal Jubilee Hospital after an altercation with security guards is now in the hands of the jury.
The seven-member jury will determine the facts of Paul Spencer’s death and decide if there are any recommendations to be made to prevent similar deaths from occurring in the future.
Spencer, who had previously been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, was taken to the hospital early on Sept. 27, 2019 after being found by a Saanich police constable. His mother, Angela, had alerted police after he left home while experiencing delusions.
The 43-year-old ended up in a struggle with security after he tried to leave the hospital, and then was placed in a seclusion room.
He was placed prone on a mattress while wrapped in a towel from the shoulders down, then left alone for several minutes before staff entered to give him sedation.
It was then discovered he had turned blue, and immediate CPR and medical attention could not save him.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Elizabeth McKinnon told the inquest that Spencer’s death was from a cardiac arrest most likely due to a combination of factors that included physical restraint, existing cardiovascular disease from high blood pressure, schizophrenia and the long-time use of risperidone for its treatment.
In her charge to the jury Wednesday after 10 days of testimony, presiding coroner Kirsten Everett said that there should be no findings of legal responsibility.
Everett said it is not mandatory to have recommendations but they can be made as the case warrants, based solely on the evidence.
