The inquest for a man who died four years ago while in custody at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre (HWDC) opened Monday with remarks from counsel and the reading of an emotional statement from Sean White's brother.

White died on Aug. 12, 2021. Over the past two years, there have been coroner's inquiries into several deaths at the HWDC, also known as Barton Jail.

According to Ontario's Ministry of the Solicitor General, an inquest is mandatory for someone who dies from non-natural causes while in custody.

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Roger Shallow, a lawyer with the Ontario chief coroner's office, said the 32-year-old White had been found hanging in his cell 24 hours after being transferred to the jail.

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