Inquest into death of inmate Wayne Fella Morrison at Yatala Labour Prison hears guards waited three minutes to begin CPR
CORRECTIONS staff did not begin CPR on an unresponsive inmate at Yatala Labour Prison until three minutes after he had “turned blue”, a Coroner’s inquest has heard.
CORRECTIONS staff did not begin CPR on an unresponsive inmate at Yatala Labour Prison until three minutes after he had “turned blue”, a Coroner’s inquest has heard.
An inquest into the death of Wayne Fella Morrison, 29, opened in the Coroner’s Court on Monday.
He died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital on September 26, 2016, after he failed to regain consciousness in the three days following an altercation with prison officers at Yatala Labour Prison.
He was in custody following his arrest September 17, 2016, during which he was charged with aggravated serious criminal trespass of a residential property, aggravated assault causing harm and common assault.
Mr Morrison was refused bail and was remanded in custody at Yatala Labour Prison.
On Friday, September 23, 2016, while in the prison’s holding cells awaiting a court appearance, Mr Morrison became violent towards prison staff and was physically restrained.
He was then carried outside by staff and placed facedown in the rear of a prison escort van before being transferred to G Division at the jail.
Upon arrival at G Division, Mr Morrison was blue and unresponsive.
He was treated at the scene by prison health staff and South Australian Ambulance Service paramedics before being taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s intensive care unit.
Mr Morrison did not regain consciousness and died on Monday, September 26.
His cause of death was hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and multi-organ failure due to a cardiac arrest that occurred prior to his arrival at hospital.
The cardiac arrest occurred when Mr Morrison was suffering from psychological and physical stress, exertion, restraint and coronary artery disease.
In opening the inquest, before Deputy State Coroner Jayne Basheer, Counsel Assisting the coroner Anthony Crocker told the court prison officers reported Mr Morrison had “turned blue” on the approach to G Division, which was a 30-second journey from the holding cells.
“In (an employee incident) report (an officer) records that Mr Morrison stopped talking and making noises before arrival at G Division and that through the spit mask … (the officer) observed Mr Morrison’s face change colour,” he said.
Mr Crocker said CPR on Mr Morrison began three minutes after the van arrived at G Division.
“This delay in any attempt to resuscitate Mr Morrison is an issue for the inquest,” Mr Crocker said.
The court also heard that an ambulance was called five minutes after Mr Morrison’s face had changed colour.
Mr Crocker said the Toyota HiAce used to transport Mr Morrison from the holding cells to G Division was fitted with CCTV cameras but it only displayed real-time vision which could be seen by those in the front of the van.
“There is no CCTV vision from inside the van of Mr Morrison’s journey,” he said.
The court heard eight male corrections officers accompanied Mr Morrison in the van for the short trip.
Prison CCTV vision of Mr Morrison struggling as he was restrained by about a dozen prison staff in an area of the holding cells was shown to the court.
The footage also showed Mr Morrison being carried outside and being placed in the van.
A second recording showing the van arriving at G Division was also played.
It showed prison staff removing Mr Morrison from the van and placing him on the ground nearby before commencing CPR while other officers watched on.
An ambulance them arrives and paramedics begin treatment.
Mr Morrison’s mother Caroline Andersen and sister Latoya Rule will give evidence at a hearing on Tuesday.
Correctional staff and inmates are also among those scheduled to give evidence.
The inquest is due to conclude on September 28.