Three men and two women have been chosen as the jury in the coroner’s inquest into the death of 22-year-old Serena Perry which happened at the Saint John Regional Hospital back in 2012 while she was a patient.
After jury selection, which took a little over two hours at the Court of Queen’s Bench, presiding coroner John Evans explaining to the five jurors the purpose of an inquest and stressing the fact that it is not a trial. The coroner and the jury will determine the facts of Perry’s death, and make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future.
Evans says that they will have approximately 50 witnesses and three weeks have been set aside for the inquest.
The family of Serena Perry in the coutroom for the jury selection. Tasha King, Serena Perry’s sister, says that she’s anxiously awaiting answers but she’s not sure how many answers will come out of this inquest. Serena’s Perry’s mother, Rose Perry, says all she wants is the truth to come out.
Police had a suspect in the case, but the forensic pathology examination couldn’t confirm a cause of death and no criminal charges were laid.
It was announced back in December that an inquest would take place into Perry’s death.
