Quebec man who died in Montreal detention facility illegally detained: public safety ministry

Quebec’s public safety ministry confirmed that the 21-year-old man who died last Saturday at the Bordeaux detention facility was supposed to be released prior to his demise and therefore, was illegally detained.

The deceased, 21-year-old Nicous D’Andre Spring, was illegally detained as he was supposed to be released on December 23 following a bail hearing through video link prior to the inmate being fatally injured after intervention by a correctional officer last Saturday that ultimately led to his demise, Quebec’s public safety ministry said.

Marie-Josée Montminy, a public safety ministry spokesperson, stated, “It should be noted that two other incarcerated persons who appeared on December 23, 2022 were in illegal detention since they should have been released the same day. They were released the next day, December 24, 2022.”

According to the head of the union representing Quebec correctional officers, D’Andre Spring met with an altercation with the other inmates while still being detained on December 24 for reasons unclear. When the correctional officers tried to intervene, the 21-year-old reportedly tried to bite and spit on them.

The officers then supposedly put a  “spit mask” on the detainee while a supervisor ordered agents to pepper spray him whilst he was still wearing the mask, according to Mathieu Lavoie, president of the Syndicat des agents de la paix en services correctionnels du Québec.

D’Andre Spring was then taken to the hospital after he lost consciousness, where he was pronounced dead.

The correctional officer involved in the incident has since been relieved, the public safety ministry said on Wednesday.