DEATH IN POLICE CELL

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 79, 28 December 1926, Page 8

DEATH IN POLICE CELL

APOPLEXY THE CAUSE

Mr. J. W. Ellison, Coroner, end four of a jury held an inquest yesterday on the death of John Kennedy in a cell at the Taranaki Street Police Station at about 1 a.m. on Christmas Day. • Lilv Kennedy, wife of deceased, said she came to town with her husband on the afternoon of Boxing Day, and left him in Courtenay Place. At 11.15 p.m. that night she called at the Taranaki Street Police Station to report that he had not returned home. The following day she identified the body of her husband at the morgue. He had been in poor health for some yearsi He was never a heavy drinker, and had not taken drink for the last six months.

Constable Hamilton stated that while on duty in Allen Street he observed a man lying on his back on the footpath. He smelled strongly of liquor and apparently was asleep. He took the man in a car to the Taranaki Street Station, where he was placed on a bed in one of the cells.

James Jackson, watchliouse keeper at Taranaki Street, said that deceased had to be carried into the watchhouse. He was still alive when witness\ went off duty. Constable Hughes, who was on night duty on Christmas Eve, said he saw deceased just before 9 p.m., at 11.15 p.m., and at 1.10 a.m. On the last occasion witness tried to arouse him and found that he was dead.

Dr. A. E. A. Palmer, who was summoned, certified that Kenne'dy was dead, and gave evidence at the inquest that there were no marks of injury on the body. Dr. P. P. Lynch stated that he made a post-mortem examination, and concluded that the cause of death was apoplexy. Having had a stroke, deceased’s condition might be like that of a deeply intoxicated man. He also concluded from the examination that deceased had not had a large quantity of liquor.

A verdict was returned of death from natural causes.