No grounds for charges in man’s suicide attempt in Halifax police cell: watchdog

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s independent police watchdog says there are no grounds for charges after a man was found unconscious in a Halifax jail cell last month.

The Serious Incident Response Team says the 47-year-old man had tried to hang himself with his sweater last August following his arrest on the grounds of the Nova Scotia Hospital in Dartmouth for public intoxication.

SIRT says he was taken to police headquarters in downtown Halifax, where he suffered a serious brain injury after being found during a routine check 17 minutes after being placed in a holding cell.

SIRT says the officers followed reasonable care because the man was not overly intoxicated, and at no time indicated he was depressed or considering taking his own life.

It says officers administered first aid and called for an ambulance, and there are no grounds for charges against police.

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SIRT says the man’s condition was initially very dire, and while he has recovered significantly, “he continues to suffer from a serious brain injury.”

The Canadian Press