It’s been almost 15 years since Brantford-raised Jeff Munro was beaten to death in the Don Jail during an argument over a bag of potato chips. An inquest into his death has finally been announced.
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Munro, a talented and world-traveling dance former, died on Nov. 7, 2009 at 31 years old.
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“It was initially announced in 2012, and we thought that was bad enough,” said Christine Munro, Jeff’s mother, on Wednesday as she denounced the delay.
“There was a team assigned and we didn’t hear from them for two years and then another team assigned and then COVID.
“I feel like Jeff was a nobody to them. I feel like it got swept under the carpet.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General said inquests can take a long time and must wait until all other investigations and criminal charges have been dealt with and their appeals exhausted.
In April, 2012, Troy Campbell – who was also an inmate at the Don Jail in Toronto – was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 years after admitting he repeatedly stomped on Munro’s head.
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Before his sentencing, Campbell, who had mental health issues, told the court he was sorry but “people have been getting killed at the Don Jail for years.”
“It’s a crazy place,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do to bring (Munro) back but he is in a better place than we are in the afterlife.”
Christine Munro said her son’s dream life as a dancer touring the world on cruise ships turned sour after he was introduced to crystal meth.
“His life went into a downward spiral. He became mentally ill and highly addicted. He lived on the street, was suicidal and in and out of the hospital so many times but he was harmless.”
Munro said her son should have been taken to CAMH in Toronto where doctors and workers knew him and could have helped him, as well as kept him safe.
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“Everything about the situation felt wrong.”
Munro has been fighting for information about her son’s death ever since she heard the news.
She and the family filed a lawsuit against the Don Jail officials, Toronto Police and Campbell, along with three others who were initially accused of beating Jeff.
At the time, Munro said a wall of secrecy was surrounding the incident.
Jeff Munro’s death was one of about 70 murders that took place at the Don Jail, also called the Toronto Jail. Operating for about 150 years, the huge facility was notorious in the criminal justice system as a “correctional hellhole” where time served was worse than any other Ontario jail.
Despite the passage of 15 years and the fact the Don Jail has been closed for a decade, the inquest is mandatory under the coroner’s act.
Spokesperson Stephanie Rea said the inquest will look at the circumstances leading up to Munro’s death and may make recommendations to “prevent future deaths in similar circumstances.”
Although the inquest is expected to move forward “shortly”, Rea said a specific date has not been announced as everything must be confirmed with family, counsel and witnesses.
@EXPSGamble
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