Family disputes police claim that man committed suicide at police station
By Marion Ali, Assistant Editor
Police say Lindberg Anthony, 56, a mechanic of Crooked Tree village, Belize district, used his own shirt to hang himself with while he was detained alone inside the holding cell at the Crooked Tree police station where one policeman was stationed on Saturday night.
Ladyville police found Anthony sometime before 10:00 that night. He was hanging from the shirt, which they said he tore apart and tied together to fasten to the rickets of the window in the holding cell, to tie around his neck. He had been in detention for a couple hours after he had reportedly become disorderly while under the influence in the village.
Anthony’s family questions the report that it was suicide because of the way his feet were bent and touching the floor inside the station. They also say that a policeman had used excessive force against Anthony some time ago, but they do not suggest that the incident was necessarily the cause of foul play in his death. Anthony was also one, they say, who professed he would never take his own life. Police have said they are conducting an internal investigation into the matter.
