Remand centre sued by man who killed cellmate

The man who was found not criminally responsible for stomping his cellmate to death at the Edmonton Remand Centre is now suing centre staff.

Two years ago, Justin Caldwell Somers, 27, killed 59-year-old Barry Stewart by stomping on his head 26 times.

Somers was later found not criminally responsible for the deathafter he told his psychiatrist that he thought Stewart was eating human heads.

Now he has filed a statement of claimagainst the province and 11 staff members at the centre, arguing that the Crown was negligent in not providing him with proper accommodation and medical attention.

The province is also accused of negligence forallowing the old Edmonton Remand Centre to become overcrowded.

Remand staff is accused of displaying "reckless indifference to the welfare of the inmates in their care."

In the documents, Somers claims he should never have had a cellmate, as both a nurse and psychologist recommended that he be housed alone.

The documents also say Somers suffered "severe mental anguish and mental distress" as a result of his role in Stewarts death.

Somers, currently a patient at Alberta Hospital, is now asking for $500,000 in damages. The allegations in the statement of claim have not been proven in court.

When he died, Stewart had been serving one night in the remand centre in lieu of paying a fine for jaywalking.