Coroner’s jury recommends review of criminal files

Psychologists should review criminal cases in communities to ensure proper medical intervention when needed, a coroner’s jury recommended in the death of Naytanie Atadjuat, who was shot by RCMP after a domestic altercation in Pond Inlet in September 2002.

The jury of five women and one man said action should be taken by Nunavut’s department of health and social services when a parent believes that his or her child is mentally disturbed or may be harmful to others. With parental consent, aid and counselling should be provided in proper facilities, the jury said.

Atadjuat was shot after RCMP were called to a domestic disturbance involving Atadjuat and his spouse on the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2002. After slicing the woman’s neck, Atadjuat fled to a nearby home and threatened to hurt a child. Shots were fired and Atadjuat died of a single bullet wound to his shoulder.

The jury also recommended that a psychologist be made available to each community and that the Nunavut government and its departments have the resources to provide more opportunities for employment making use of traditional skills.