Inquests to probe three in-custody deaths
Inquests will be held into the deaths of three men, including two who died by hanging themselves in jail cells. Dr. John K. Younes, the chief medical examiner, called for […]
Inquests are to be conducted into the deaths of three men who died while in police custody or correctional facilities. The inquests will determine what could have been done to prevent the deaths and prevent similar incidents in the future. Two of the men died by hanging themselves in jail cells, while the third died of heart disease exacerbated by drug use.
The first inquest will be held for Alvin Choken, 36, who was arrested on July 11, 2025 and held at the Winnipeg Remand Centre in solitary confinement. Choken was found hanging from the top bunk of his cell with a ligature made from a torn linen sheet. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead the next day due to a brain injury.
The second man, Arley Harper, 29, died on December 13, 2025 while in custody at Headingley jail. Harper was found dead in his cell after a corrections officer attempted to resuscitate him. A paramedic assessed him at police headquarters before he was moved to a cell and regularly checked on, but he was found unresponsive on the floor at some point.
The third man, Frank Manoakeesick, 52, died on September 15, 2024 after being arrested on a warrant in September 2024. Manoakeesick was described as "calm and co-operative" during his arrest. However, he was found unresponsive in his cell and was pronounced dead at St. Boniface Hospital after paramedics were unable to save him. An autopsy determined that his death was caused by heart disease, which was contributed to by methamphetamine use and hypertension. The medical examiner's office deemed his death an accident.
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