Brandon Daniels' family devastated by surveillance video of death - Action News
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Saskatoon

Brandon Daniels' family devastated by surveillance video of death

Friends and family members of 19-year-old Brandon Daniels gasped and even left the room as police surveillance video played during a coroner's inquest Monday afternoon.

Coroners' Inquest into police cell death continues

Friends and family members of 19-year-old Brandon Daniels gasped and even left the room as police surveillance video played during a coroner'sinquest Monday afternoon.

The video shows a very disoriented Daniels being led to police cells, and lying unresponsive on a holding cell floor for ten hours.

"To know these were his last minutes, and those were his last hours, and they did nothing," said Daniels' mother, Sherry Bird. "They let him lay there for hours."

Daniels was arrested by Saskatoon police in July2010.

At the time, he was sitting outside a downtown theatre, and police believed he was drunk.

Toxicology reports later showed Daniels had given himself a fatal dose of Tylenol.

Surveillance video played at the inquest showed police taking the man out of a patrol car and putting him in a wheelchair, because he was completely unable to walk.

After placing him in cells, Daniels barely moved off the floor, even when another prisoner was put in the cell with him.

During the inquest, Sgt. Randy Huisman noted that Saskatoon's Brief Detox unit was full that day, and that police decided not to call an ambulance or bring Daniels to hospital, even though it was an option.

Sherry Bird said Mondayher son suffered from mental illness. She said she wants to see reforms in how police handle intoxicated prisoners.

"Our goal is to try and get it out there that we do need this change," saidBird.

The inquest is expected to run until Friday. Jurors will make findings on how Daniels died and make recommendations on how similar deaths can be avoided in the future.