Friends and family of the late Raymond Silverfox filed into Courtroom 1 of the Andrew Philipsen Law Centre in Whitehorse today, for the first day of the inquest into the 43-year-old Carmacks man's death.

Silverfox died in RCMP custody on Dec. 2, 2008, 16 hours after being arrested for disturbing the peace at the Salvation Army shelter on Fourth Avenue at Black Street.

The territory's chief coroner, Sharon Hanley, is presiding over the inquest, with representatives for the coroner, Silverfox's family and the RCMP all present.

The jury will hear evidence from Silverfox's work mates, the friends he was with on the night of Dec. 1, 2008, people who were at the Salvation Army when he was picked up by police, ambulance attendants, hospital staff and RCMP officers.

In the days after Silverfox's death, police reported they were called to the shelter by the ambulance attendants who were first called to the scene.

Police did not use batons, Tasers nor pepper spray on the man, they said at the time.

A police press release issued on Dec. 3, stated Silverfox had been in custody for just over 12 hours when he was found unconscious in his cell.

Officers attempted to revive him, police said, before he was transported to Whitehorse General Hospital.

He was pronounced dead almost three hours after officers noted he was unconscious, according to information released at the time of his death.

This evidence has not yet been heard by the coroner's jury.

As of press time this afternoon, the jury had heard from three witnesses, none of whom were with Silverfox at the time of his death.

The proceedings are scheduled to go until the end of next week, after which the jury will be asked to make a ruling on how Silverfox died and will be invited to make recommendations on how similar incidents may be prevented. Their recommendations are non-binding.

A coroner's inquest is held whenever a person dies in police custody.