THE FACTS ARE SLOWLY EMERGING AT THE ASHLEY SMITH INQUEST

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story "Inquest hears denials from warden". Middle managers, a senior manager and at least one guard have testified that they raised their concerns about delaying removing ligatures from Ashley Smith's neck directly with warden Cindy Berry. The warden however categorically denies knowing or ordering guards to stay out of Ms. Smith's cell while she was choking.

Well the blame is now currently sitting right at the top of the Grand Valley Institution for Women. What is interesting is that the warden was fired by Correctional Services Canada only to be rehired less than two years later as a result of a mediated settltment. Will the CSC come under scrutiny in this case? The inquest has been advised that they were intimately involved in the details of Ashley Smith's "management plan" and that they were very interested in use of force reports emanating from the removal of ligatures from her neck.

Is this simply a milder version of top down directives causing subordinates to commit either stupid or horrific acts? I am of course referring to Nazi germany's genocide during the second world war. Orders from the Nazi hierarchy to commit mass murder were followed all the way down the chain of command right to the gas chambers. Some human beings are easily manipulated and if the order comes from above, no matter how stupid or repugnant, it is followed to the letter. And Ashley Smith unecessarily died as a result.