Accused killer appears in court wearing handcuffs
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A penitentiary inmate accused of murder appeared in a Prince Albert courtroom this afternoon under heavy security.
Tyler Vandewater, 28, made his appearance over a video link from the maximum-security unit of the Saskatchewan Penitentiary. Vandewater, wearing jeans, a t-shirt and thin-framed glasses, was handcuffed throughout his appearance, and a gloved correctional officer stood close at hand.
Vandewater was charged with second-degree murder June 9, in connection with a death inside the federal institution. According to the RCMP, 37-year-old Christopher Andrew Van Camp died while in the institution June 7. At the time of his death, Van Camp was serving a five-year sentence for armed robbery, break-and-enter with intent and other theft-related charges.
Van Camp’s mother, Lauren Laithwaite, has since filed a lawsuit against Correctional Service Canada and the country’s Attorney General, alleging the institution failed to provide adequate protection for her son. In her statement of claim, Laithwaite alleges Van Camp was placed into a cell with an inmate known to be violent, despite having ongoing medical issues and recently recovering from a coma.
