These near an inmate who died within the Sarnia Jail are expressing shock, anger, and are calling for accountability over his sudden demise.
Revealed Jan 09, 2025 • Final up to date 3 hours in the past • 5 minute learn
Devin Fentie (Fb)
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Household and buddies of an inmate and father of two younger ladies who died within the Sarnia Jail are expressing shock, grief, anger and calling for accountability after his sudden demise and a first-degree homicide cost in opposition to his cellmate.
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Douglas Cutbush, 51, of Sarnia was discovered unresponsive in his cell on Wednesday at about 3:45 a.m. His cellmate, Devin Fentie, 33, of Sarnia was charged with first-degree homicide, police mentioned.
Karen Penny Goss, an in depth pal of Cutbush, mentioned Thursday he was the kindest man one may ever meet.
“He should have never been placed in a jail cell with (this kind of person)… Doug was 150 pounds soaking wet… the jail system there needs to be held accountable for their actions,” she mentioned by means of Fb messenger.
Goss mentioned Cutbush was arrested about 12 hours earlier than he was discovered lifeless in his cell.
“This is my cousin and it is total negligence. I can’t believe they placed the accused in the same cell,” April Clark posted on social media. “Doug wouldn’t hurt anyone and (my) heart breaks for all friends and family, especially his children.”
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Cutbush, a machinist by commerce who labored in Sarnia and Petrolia, was the daddy of two six-year-old twin ladies.
“No one deserves to die like that. He should have been kept safe….That’s a basic human right. Deepest condolences to his family and all who loved him,” Sharon McMullan-Ravensberg wrote on social media.
The Sarnia Jail is seen right here Wednesday. (Paul Morden/ Ontario Chronicle)
A number of individuals contacted Thursday, together with a veteran Sarnia legal defence lawyer and Sarnia police officers, mentioned they couldn’t recall one other murder on the metropolis’s jail.
Kevin Egan, a London lawyer who has labored for years with many inmates and their households impacted by violence on the troubled Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in London, additionally has purchasers who’ve frolicked within the Sarnia Jail. He additionally mentioned he wasn’t conscious of any homicides there previous to Wednesday.
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“But it is, like many jails in Ontario, a violent place and has been for a long time,” he mentioned. “I represent victims of violence at the jail. I also represent families of prisoners who suffered medical neglect leading to their death at the Sarnia Jail.”
The final identified demise of a Sarnia Jail inmate previous to Wednesday was September 2022, when Cody David Cook dinner, 33, from Sarnia was present in medical misery by jail employees. He died in hospital.
“Since 2013, seven inmates have passed away at the Sarnia Jail. Cause of death is determined by the Office of the Chief Coroner,” Brent Ross, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor Common, mentioned Thursday through electronic mail.
An post-mortem of Cutbush was scheduled for Thursday by means of the Ontario Coroner’s Workplace, Sarnia police mentioned.
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Joel Bissonnette, a corrections officer on the Sarnia Jail and president of OPSEU Native 128, mentioned Thursday he can’t touch upon the investigation.
The jail, which was inbuilt 1961 and is taken into account outdated, was scheduled to shut in 2014 together with the jail in Chatham to mix with a brand new jail in Windsor, a choice introduced in 2011 by the provincial authorities. However after some lobbying that call was reversed in August 2013.
Sarnia Jail Photograph by File picture /The Observer
Two latest inquests have been held into suicide deaths on the border-city jail. Final 12 months, a jury advisable making 9 modifications there in response to the 2020 demise of Travis Havers, 31, from Sarnia. One other jury prompt a dozen modifications after a 2021 inquest into the 2018 demise of Aaron Moffatt, 32.
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Many of the suggestions had been linked to inmates getting their opioid-replacement remedy, communication over their medical standing and potential suicide danger, and decreasing anchor factors in cells.
Egan additionally identified a Sarnia man, Adam Kargus, 29, was murdered in London’s provincial jail on Oct. 31, 2013, by cellmate Anthony George. George is serving a life sentence for second-degree homicide.
Fentie, who’s in custody pending a courtroom look on Monday, was charged in 2023 in London with uttering a demise menace by letter to mass assassin Nathaniel Veltman. That cost was dropped final 12 months after a psychiatric evaluation was ordered.
Fentie beforehand was scheduled to go to trial in Sarnia subsequent week on two charges embody assaulting a peace officer and assaulting a peace officer with intent to withstand lawful arrest. The complainant is a corrections officer, Morgan Tyler, and the incident came about on June 13, 2023, data present.
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The Sarnia Jail is seen right here Wednesday. (Paul Morden/ Ontario Chronicle)
Evan Weber, a Windsor lawyer who has been working with Fentie on that case, mentioned Thursday he was shocked and anxious to listen to concerning the new cost and nonetheless wanted to fulfill with him, however the trial continues to be anticipated to go forward.
Fentie beforehand was sentenced in Sarnia to probation for assault inflicting bodily hurt, property harm and assaulting a police officer throughout a Canada Day occasion in 2012. He was bare when he tried to punch and head-butt an officer.
It’s unclear what introduced Cutbush again into custody Wednesday. Information present he was going through a complete 22 charges laid Dec. 5, 10 linked to disobeying courtroom orders, 11 tied to breaching probation, and one rely of legal harassment. All these charges had been dropped Wednesday after he died.
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“Doug Cutbush is my cousin and whatever problems he had doesn’t matter to me……. I am beside myself and at a loss of words of how this happened,” Maggie Sampson wrote on social media.
That is the town’s first murder of the 12 months, however comes only a month after a Lambton Faculty worldwide scholar was stabbed to demise in a home rented by a number of individuals on Queen Road.
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WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
A number of individuals have commented on social media within the wake of Cutbush’s jailhouse demise being introduced by Sarnia police.
“This is terrible. I knew Doug growing up and was always a good guy. RIP,” Mike McCabe wrote.“RIP Duggy; you will be missed! My heart breaks for his friends and the rest of the family,” cousin April Clark wrote.“Sorry for your loss. We loved Dougie. He’ll be missed,” Darlene Emery wrote. “I am so incredibly sorry and heartbroken for your family.”“RIP Cutter,” Greg Robinson wrote. “Sad to hear. (I) knew him from public and high school. It had been awhile but I have good memories of our high school days. Good dude.”“The victim had young children. This is sad for the family,” Sara C. McLaughlin wrote.“One of our good friends, too. Mild mannered guy. I can’t even believe it,” Angela Rose Vint wrote.
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