Unascertained

On December 15, 2016, Soleiman Faqiri was found dead in his cell after an altercation with a group of correctional officers. After suffering a schizophrenic episode, the 30-year-old was awaiting a pre-trial mental health assessment at a Lindsay Ontario jail. He was pepper sprayed, shackled, and was wearing a spit hood. But there was no footage of what went on inside his segregation cell that day. We piece together the timeline of Soleiman's death and what really happened when guards entered the room. It's a story of a family's loss, mental health failures in the prison system, and a search for justice. Coming April 7th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part I: Soleiman Faqiri was a 30-year-old Canadian, born in Afghanistan, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. On December 15th, 2016, he was found dead in a segregation cell at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario, after a struggle with correctional officers. What happened in that cell has led his family on a years-long search for answers. Clips courtesy of CityNews and Global News Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part II: Anthony Ouellette was an inmate at the Lindsay jail in 2016. He watched as Soleiman Faqiri's mental health slowly deteriorated during the 11 days he was kept in segregation, and desperately tried to get him help. Ouellette shares the shocking details of what he saw during that time, and how on the eleventh day, he came back to his cell to find out that Soleiman had died. Clips courtesy of CityNews and CBC News Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part III: A ten-month long investigation by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service concluded there were no grounds to lay charges in Soleiman Faqiri's death. But for lawyers Nader Hasan and Ted Marrocco, who represent the Faqiri family, that wasn't good enough. They wanted to know what evidence had been collected and who the police interviewed. They became suspicious that they weren't being told the full story. Metro Morning with Matt Galloway interview courtesy of CBC Licensing Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part IV: Apart from the correctional staff at the jail, it turns out there was someone else there the day Soleiman Faqiri died. Someone who says he saw everything. Host Yusuf Zine speaks to that eyewitness, who shares new jarring details of what he saw happen in that cell. Audio clips courtesy The Evan Solomon Show, CBC Ontario Morning, Global News, and the Ontario Ombudsman Background reading: Ontario Ombudsman report - The Code Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part V: There are no witness statements from any correctional officers involved in Soleiman's case that have been made public. And that comes as no surprise to former correctional officer Iosko Assenov. Since leaving his profession as a guard, he has become a whistleblower speaking out against racism, harassment and 'the code of silence' in Ontario's prisons. Yusuf Zine walks through Soleiman's death with Iosko to try to make sense of what we know so far. News clips courtesy CBC News, The Evan Solomon Show and Global News Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the team gets ready to put out the sixth and final episode, a last-minute interview request comes through that allows them to ask some big questions. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part VI: A new revelation in the case has been released to the public, and it may be the last piece of the puzzle. In the 6th part of Unascertained, Yusuf Zine takes a close look at just what happened in that cell on December 15, 2016 as he tries to finally determine: what happened to Soleiman Faqiri? Clips courtesy of Global News, CityNews, TVNZ and CTV. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since our final episode, there have been some major changes in the case. Host Yusuf Zine provides a quick update. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part VII: Shortly before the release of what was meant to be the final episode of the series, a former correctional officer at the Central East Correctional Centre reached out to the team with startling information. In the bonus 7th episode of Unascertained, host Yusuf Zine hears his side of the story. And, a stunning turn of events regarding Soleiman Faqiri's post-mortem report. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soleiman Faqiri's cause of death status is reversed. Plus, after hearing the podcast, new sources come forward. Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part VIII: In the final chapter, two people at the heart of Soleiman's case who have never spoken publicly provide new details. And, after years, an updated post-mortem report reveals shocking answers to the question: how did Soleiman Faqiri die? Through our variety of podcast programming, TVO is committed to helping the people of Ontario better understand our world. If you believe in TVO’s journalism and have been enjoying our podcast offering, consider making a donation at http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus update episode, the OPP concludes their second investigation into Soleiman's death. Yusuf Faqiri and Nader Hasan give their reactions to the news. Plus, what has the state of corrections been like during this last year - and where is everyone now? Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did the coroner’s inquest decide that Soleiman Faqiri’s death was a homicide? Host Yusuf Zine and co-producer Kevin Young examine key pieces of evidence from the long-awaited inquest, including new testimonies, emails, and never before seen footage of the final moments of Soleiman’s life. Yusuf and Kevin unpack what the jury took into consideration to rule Soleiman’s death as a “homicide”, answering questions that the Faqiri family have been after for seven years. Clips: This did not need to take so long,’ says Soleiman Faqiri’s brother on new report by Ontario’s top pathologist - Global News/Corus Entertainment Inc./globalnews.ca ‘A walk down a hallway turned violent’: Inquest into Soleiman Faqiri’s death begins - Global News/Corus Entertainment Inc./globalnews.ca ‘Jury rules Soleiman Faqiri's death in Lindsay jail was homicide’ - City News/Rogers Media/youtube.com MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam: Soleiman Faqiri's Death Must Be Re-Investigated - Kristyn Wong-Tam/Legislative Assembly of Ontario/youtube.com Donate to TVO: http://tvo.org/giveSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.