Family of a Saskatchewan father who died following arrest hopes for change as inquest begins

Chase Sinclair speaking to reporters after the first day of the Boden Umpherville death inquest. (Jasmine Pelletier/CTV News)

The family of Saskatchewan father Boden Umpherville has mixed feelings about the inquest into his death.

“As far as the inquest. Yeah, it’s nice, it’s nice, but still to me it’s a little bit lip service,” Chase Sinclair, who said he and Umpherville grew up as brothers, told CTV News outside the Court of King’s Bench Monday, the first of four days scheduled for the inquest.

“Even the word, like let’s look at words. ‘Recommendations,’ we recommend this ... It’s lip service, right? Until something is done.”

In April of 2023, police in Prince Albert were trying to arrest 40-year-old Umpherville for outstanding warrants. A report by the Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) found that the force used by police during the arrest, which included the deployment of tasers, batons and pepper spray, was lawful.

Umpherville would later die in hospital.

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SIRT said a loaded gun was found in Umpherville’s possession.

Sinclair said that while Umpherville had been involved in criminal activity in the past, he was turning over a new leaf.

“He was getting out of something that could be potentially dangerous to him,” Sinclair told reporters at the inquest. “The fact of the matter is, Boden didn’t kill anybody.”

The jury may provide recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.

Prince Albert Police Service Deputy Chief Farica Prince says any recommendations will be taken into consideration.

“We are we are expecting recommendations to come out of this inquest,” she said. “We will definitely be taking those seriously, passing them along to the Saskatchewan Association Chiefs of Police for provincial consideration.”

Nineteen witnesses are scheduled to testify at the inquest at Court of King’s Bench in Prince Albert, including the forensic pathologist who examined Umpherville’s body.

Sinclair remembers Umpherville fondly.

“He was a provider. He was a good person,” said Sinclair. “I think that needs to be put before his past charges or his previous encounters, the cops or the markings on his face and so on and so forth. He was a human being and he deserves the dignity that he should get.”

The presiding coroner expects the inquest will wrap up on Friday, and those involved will hear the jury’s conclusions.