Hong Kong Coroner’s Courtroom ruled the demise of a homeless man whereas within the custody of the Correctional Providers Division (CSD) to be a case of suicide on Friday.
5 jurors unanimously discovered the deceased dedicated suicide. In line with the forensic report, the deceased “intermittently strangled himself along with his trousers.” The causes of demise are within the order of neck pressurisation, self-strangulation and coronary atherosclerotic coronary heart illness. In directing the jury, Coroner Raymund Chow acknowledged that the proof solely pointed to suicide. If the jury didn’t discover past affordable doubt that the deceased dedicated suicide, then the jury might solely conclude an open verdict.
The jury urged that solely 4 officers within the admission wards are insufficient. The jury additionally indicated that the CSD ought to contemplate including assistants to the present admission wards within the Psychiatric Centre. Moreover, the jury urged that the CSD be sure that the officers examine the wards in particular person each quarter-hour as a substitute of merely observing video surveillance. Lastly, the jury urged that the CSD also needs to set up further displays for higher remark of video surveillance. Former social welfare legislator Shiu Ka-chun was disappointed by the ruling because the court docket discovered nobody was accountable for the dearth of human sources and the poor video surveillance high quality within the CSD.
In February 2020, eight cops allegedly assaulted homeless individuals, together with the deceased, and broken their properties. Native information outlet inmedia.hk additionally reported that the officers allegedly falsely accused the deceased of possession of medication. The cost was later dropped in Could. At the moment, the officers are being charged with “doing an act or a collection of acts tending and meant to pervert the course of public justice.” The trial is scheduled for January 2024.
The deceased was later charged with possession of medication once more in September 2020. He was kept in Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre for his earlier self-destructive behaviour throughout detentions. The deceased was discovered lifeless in a safety cell in a while October 9, 2020.
