Inquest into the death of a prisoner co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C: how many more will there be?
Michael Joseph LeBlanc probably became infected with HIV and Hepatitis C while incarcerated in a federal penitentiary. On 18 November 1999, he died at the Regional Hospital in Kingston Penitentiary of complications relating to hepatitis C. Mr LeBlanc died inhumanely, in extreme physical, psychological and emotional distress. His death raises the issues of transmission and prevention of HIV and hepatitis C, compassionate release, and health care and palliative care in federal prisons. An Inquest under the Coroners Act was held in Kingston, Ontario from 30 January to 1 February 2001. These same issues had been raised previously at the October 1997 coroners inquest into the death of William Bell, a person living with AIDS who died while incarcerated in another federal penitentiary.
Betteridge
J G
JG
HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic, Ontario. betterg@olap.org
D003643:Death; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D010166:Palliative Care; D011329:Prisoners