Post by Sher on Jun 3, 2005 9:17:48 GMT -5
PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. -- A convict who transferred from a Quebec prison Wednesday was killed the day he arrived at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary.
Corrections officials and the RCMP are investigating the death of David Duane Pasqua, 35.
The cause of his death has not been determined, but investigators were treating it as a homicide.
"It's a very serious matter when an inmate dies under our care and custody," warden Brenda LePage said yesterday. "Our sympathies do go out to the Pasqua family."
Pasqua, who was originally from Regina, was serving a sentence of 15 years eight months and 19 days for charges including uttering threats, robbery, armed robbery and attempted murder. His sentence was scheduled to expire on Dec. 5, 2011.
He was found seriously injured around 10 p.m. Wednesday.
LePage said a fight had previously broken out in a common area of the facility. The investigation was being limited to 16 offenders who were in the maximum-security unit at the time.
"That doesn't mean that all 16 were involved," she said. "But it's limited to a group of 16 offenders who live on that range."
The unit has since been locked down, LePage said.
"It's basically an hour-by-hour, day-by-day assessment right now as to when we can start slowly opening back up."
Officials would not comment on whether Pasqua's death was gang-related.
However, LePage said police are looking into that possibility. Gang members are currently housed both in the maximum-security unit as well as the general population.
Corrections officials and the RCMP are investigating the death of David Duane Pasqua, 35.
The cause of his death has not been determined, but investigators were treating it as a homicide.
"It's a very serious matter when an inmate dies under our care and custody," warden Brenda LePage said yesterday. "Our sympathies do go out to the Pasqua family."
Pasqua, who was originally from Regina, was serving a sentence of 15 years eight months and 19 days for charges including uttering threats, robbery, armed robbery and attempted murder. His sentence was scheduled to expire on Dec. 5, 2011.
He was found seriously injured around 10 p.m. Wednesday.
LePage said a fight had previously broken out in a common area of the facility. The investigation was being limited to 16 offenders who were in the maximum-security unit at the time.
"That doesn't mean that all 16 were involved," she said. "But it's limited to a group of 16 offenders who live on that range."
The unit has since been locked down, LePage said.
"It's basically an hour-by-hour, day-by-day assessment right now as to when we can start slowly opening back up."
Officials would not comment on whether Pasqua's death was gang-related.
However, LePage said police are looking into that possibility. Gang members are currently housed both in the maximum-security unit as well as the general population.
