Vic: Coroner to give findings in private prison deaths probe

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2000
Vic: Coroner to give findings in private prison deaths probe

Victoria's coroner will hand down his findings tomorrow into the deaths of five inmates
at Melbourne's privately-run Port Phillip Prison.

Four of the men were found hanging and the fifth died of a suspected drug overdose
in the five months between October 1997 and March 1998, soon after the prison opened.

The men were ADAM IRWIN, aged 20; GEORGE DRINKEN, 28; RODNEY KOERS, 34; VIENH CHI TU,
20; and MICHAEL FILIPS, 52.

Coroner GRAEME JOHNSTONE heard detailed evidence about the deaths in hearings between
June and August last year.

He's foreshadowed he'll recommend new standards of prison-cell design.

He's also suggested the process of investigating prison deaths needs to be reviewed.

AAP RTV gf/jd/sub/jn

KEYWORD: PRISON DEATHS (MELBOURNE)

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