The Police Department is tonight also being asked tough questions after the death of 38-year-old Clarence Guzman. Guzman was detained sometime in January for a bike theft.
The story gets fuzzy after that since the family says police cuffed him and took him to the Rockview Mental hospital where he was confined until his death. The police say Guzman was only questioned for the bike theft and that he was never arrested.
It's two different stories but one sudden death, Keith Swift went looking for answers.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This 38 year-old ex-BDF Soldier Clarence Guzman is dead. His family believes he was murdered.
Felix Palacio, Nephew of Deceased
"Deh people kill dah man. That dah it. They kill dah man"
Keith Swift,
Who?
Felix Palacio,
Who? Now a can't point finger but they killed him.
The KHMH did consider the death of 38-year-old Clarence Guzman strange so they ordered a post mortem. The results? He died of sinusitis, which is a medical condition so there was no foul play. The family however still has questions such as why he was at Rockview when he had no previous mental condition.
Felix Palacio,
"I noh know if they took him to police station. It had to be there I think but I noh know if they took him to prison first and then Rockview."
Keith Swift,
"Why take him to Rockview?"
Felix Palacio.
"And he noh crazy at all. He noh crazy. Deh just do whe they mi wah do."
The police are not saying if Guzman was ever in their custody. The Rockview Mental Hospital says he was referred by the police and they told us today that they don't know why since he had no mental condition. The only straight answer we got was from the KHMH's Pathologist Dr. Hugh Sanchez. He performed the post mortem.
Dr. Hugh Sanchez, KHMH's Pathologist
"At the time of the post mortem, there was no external evidence of injury, trauma, or disease so I have no evidence to suggest that he was beaten or traumatized. The only thing we found was that the brain was swollen and it oozed pus from the frontal lobe."
But that sane voice of medical wisdom does little to allay the emotions of this family who mourning this sudden loss and looking for justice.
Felix Palacio,
"I angry yes! I noh only angry, I mad about it."
"Whe we could do? We poor! When Zabaneh son got killed by the Gurkhas they got justice cause they got money but we poor. So whe we could expect?"
And this family says they are not expecting much - just the answers.
Guzman will be buried in his native village of Seine Bight village tomorrow.