PA jail riot results in over $500,000 in damages

Nigel Maxwell

A riot at the Prince Albert Correctional Centre last January resulted in over $500,000 in damages, and will take up to a year to repair, according to evidence heard at Prince Albert Provincial Court.
Kenny Morin, 21, one of five men charged after the incident, received a 45 day sentence after entering a guilty plea to participation in a riot.The incident on Jan. 4, 2021, required the assistance of both the Prince Albert Police Service and the Prince Albert Fire Department.

A source close to the incident, described for paNOW a very chaotic scene that started when the inmates breached the staff office in the gang range.While no one was transported to hospital by ambulance, paNOW was informed at least one staff member was injured after the glass shattered in her face. When Morin’s sentencing hearing was started on April 7, Crown Prosecutor Elizabeth Addabor described in court how Morin tossed a mop handle through a glass window, narrowly missing the officer.

Addabor also explained when the actual incident started around 1 p.m., a number of inmates were in the yard area for leisure time, and became confrontational with a staff member, complaining about the institutional conditions. Over the course of the next few hours, inmates were able to gain access to some supply closets and pulled out a number of tools.
“Mr. Morin moves to the kitchen area and is throwing brooms and shovel handles at staff,” Addabor said.

Disobeying commands to lock up, the inmates located some spray cans and proceeded to paint gang symbols on the walls. They were also able to start a fire using some blankets which resulted in extensive damage to the cell area. Over a dozen windows were also smashed.

“It is our understanding your honour that damages are a minimum $500,000 and it’s going to take the better part of a year to fix this,” Addabor said.

At this stage of the proceedings, Judge Harradence interrupted and asked Addabor what length of sentence the crown and defence agreed to – to which Addabor replied 30 days.

“You think 30 days is sufficient for these circumstances?” Judge Harradence asked. “Thirty days for this sort of behaviour … I don’t know.”

Defence arguments

Defence lawyer Michael Nolin said Morin, who grew up at Sandy Bay, is the youngest of 11 children, has never been employed, and knows he has a drug problem. Nolin also noted Morin was not the one who started the fire, nor did he participate in the fire, but acknowledged he did play a role in the riot.

“The best explanation he gave was everyone was overwhelmed by the prolonged COVID conditions,” Nolin explained, adding Morin also said inmates were upset about losing access services like canteen, limits placed on leisure time, and just a general feeling of being treated “like children.”

After listening to submissions from both lawyers, Judge Harradence ultimately decided it was best for lawyers to reconsider their joint submission and adjourned sentencing to April 15.

On Thursday, Crown Prosecutor John Morrall, the lawyer initially assigned to the file was in court, and acknowledged the proposed sentence may appear low, but explained it was based on a number of factors including Morin’s early guilty plea, and the fact that while there a number of witnesses describing what happened, there was a lack of evidence with respect to show “who did what.”

The four co-accused have pending court dates scheduled for May 10.

In the meantime a spokesperson for the Ministry of Corrections, confirmed the damages to the facility caused by the disturbance will be in excess of $500,000. The Ministry also stated that while the timeline for repairs has not been finalized, it’s estimated completing the work may take up to a year.

“One is unit is temporarily out of commission as a result of the disturbance,” the Ministry said.