COVID-19 concerns at Scarborough court where man fainted in prisoner's box
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Scarborough provincial courthouse was wracked by the recent release of two inmates — one who collapsed in the prisoner’s box and another returned days earlier from COVID-19 struck California.
The courthouse at 1911 Eglinton Ave. E. was closed on Monday to complete a deep cleansing after it was learned that a Crown attorney was a presumptive case of COVID-19. She last worked on March 11 and has been in self-isolation since.
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But the suburban courthouse had two disturbing incidents in the last nine days.
On Wednesday, a visibly-ill accused, Prince Tutankhamun, fainted inside the prisoner’s box and was propped up by three court officers to complete his bail hearing.
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The 32-year-old had bloodshot eyes, appeared lethargic and was sweating profusely when Justice of the Peace Paula Konstantinidis told him to stand up. Bloodshot eyes are now considered a symptom of COVID-19.
Tutankhamun then tumbled inside the prisoner’s box. Three court officers checked on him and propped him up.
“He was drenched in sweat. I was hoping they would change courtrooms, take a break and see that he was okay,” a source told the Sun. “None of that was done.”
“I was concerned that no precautions were being taken in light of today’s COVID-19 threat,” said the source, who wished to remain anonymous.
Konstantinidis noted the accused’s condition.
Tutankhamun — who was facing four counts of theft under, escape lawful custody and providing false information for the sex offender registry — was granted bail and walked out of the courthouse.
And court continued with new inmates now sitting in the prisoner’s box of an apparently-ill Tutankhamun had been.
On March 17, a 17-year-old who was busted the day before on two counts of robbery disclosed to court officers he was a snowbird, but there was no self-isolation being practised by him, a source told the Sun.
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The teen, who allegedly committed two gunpoint robberies of people selling goods through Letgo, never divulged to Toronto Police that he had just flown back from the U.S. west coast.
The teen, who cannot be identified, was given a surgical mask by court officers. But instead of wearing it properly, the teen tucked it under his chin and around his neck.
He was freed last Tuesday.
“This is disturbing as neither the Crown or the court knew he had just flown back from California only days before his arrest and release,” a source told the Sun.
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