Police have launched an internal investigation after a man apparently committed suicide in a holding cell at the Queen Street Police station. He was alone in the cell where he was found hanging - but because he was in the custody and care of police, there are many questions. Here's what police had to say today:
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero - Deputy, NCIB
"Police made checks at the cells. At the block in the Queen Street police station, where they found the motionless body of Jose Espinosa, 31 years labourer of North Front Street, Belize City who was found hanging with a shoelace from one of the cell bars inside of the cell block. He was taken down, he was detained at the cell block from around 2:30 PM yesterday's date for common assault. We have since now commenced an investigation into his matter and a post mortem examination will be conducted on the body to determine the cause of death."
Reporter
"Is it not a policy of the department, whenever someone is taken into custody or is going to be detained, that individual, they remove belts and shoe laces from those who would be in police's custody, what went wrong in this?"
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
"Yes that is a policy that is in place and the investigation will determine what transpired and how this person had this shoelace."
It is the second death in custody at Queen Street since June - which is when Nestor Vasquez was murdered - and in that case, a police tribunal found that police officers were to blame for deliberately putting him in a cell with a dangerous man. Â
As Romero said an investigation is being conducted in this case - and it will include disciplinary action. Â
