Inmate who died in custody in Saskatoon had a history of self harm: Court records
An inmate in the Regional Psychiatric Centre died while in custody on Saturday.
Tommy Veevee was serving an indeterminate sentence in the Saskatoon facility since November 1998, according to a Correctional Service of Canada news release.
His next of kin have been notified, as well as the police and the Saskatchewan coroner, the news release said.
Veevee was deemed a dangerous offender after his conviction for two sexual assaults in 1997 around the village of Iqaluit, the capital city of Nunavut located on Baffin Island.
The 1999 sentencing documents from Judge B.A. Browne outline a litany of other sexual offences committed by Veevee beginning in the 1980s, some resulting in earlier convictions, others documented in testimony submitted to the court.
Veevee began struggling with schizophrenia in about 1985, Browne says.
The judge references health records from 1986 to about 1994 that outline "how little progress has been made in addressing Mr. Veevee's social and psychiatric problems."
Veevee was described as a challenging patient with little sense of personal boundaries.
In January 1994 one doctor said he posed a risk to society.
“I might add that the federal prison service, for the most part, although they try valiantly, are ill-prepared to treat profoundly disturbed schizophrenics who are both intellectually low functioning and who have deviant sexual problems as well. To be fair, no one is very successful with this very difficult group of people. There is, however, no other acceptable situation as society is greatly at risk from this disturbed young man.”
For his part, Veevee frequently expressed remorse for his actions but seemed unable to follow the course of treatment recommended by doctors, Browne said, and he often tried to take all his medication at once in order to end his life.
He tried to kill himself nearly 60 times, Browne says.
Browne says they opted to designate Veevee a dangerous offender because it meant an indeterminate sentence, and they felt that was the only way to make sure Veevee would receive the long-term treatment he needed, and have his medications controlled.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.
Closing arguments heard in trial for Sask. dad accused of abducting daughter
Closing arguments were heard Thursday morning in the case of Michael Gordon Jackson, the Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter in 2021 to keep her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.