As a Missouri police department continues its own investigation into the hanging death of Antony Garner, a review of the autopsy report and law enforcement documents reveal it violated its own policy by failing to take the man’s belt before jailing him.
Garner’s death was ruled a suicide in an autopsy report completed at the end of January. The 53-year-old had been pulled over on Dec. 19 for a missing front license plate and then was arrested for outstanding warrants, according to the Kansas City Star.
Anthony Garner (left, with son Nicolas Gray) was arrested Dec. 19 for outstanding warrants. He was discovered dead hanging in his cell in the early hours of the morning. (The Kansas City Star)
However, the newspaper reported the Pleasant Hill Police Department went against its policy to confiscate “anything that could create a security or suicide risk, such as contraband, hazardous items, belts, shoes or shoelaces and jackets.” As such, Garner was able to use his belt to tie it around his neck, climb up on his cell door and let himself fall with no support below him. He was left there for two hours.
PHPD has a policy, like others in the state, that require safety checks be made on jail cells “no less than every 15 minutes.”
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office led a probe that determined Garner purposely hanged himself with his own leather belt.
Pleasant Hill Police Chief Robert Driscoll did not disclose to The Star why Garner’s belt was not taken or detail the circumstances surrounding Garner’s death nearly two months ago. A sergeant with PHPD told Cass County investigators it’s standard to have their inmates keep their belongings as long as “they present no concerns,” according to the sheriff’s office investigation.
“When the medical examiner and the sheriff’s office closed their investigations on the 31st of January, we opened an administrative investigation on Feb. 1 and that administrative investigation surrounding the events of Mr. Garner’s death is ongoing at this time,” Driscoll said to the publication.
He refused to disclose whether any of the officers involved were disciplined. Additionally, he wouldn’t reveal how the administrative probe is being handled.
Meanwhile, Garner’s family has questions about how the death of their loved one was managed.
“There are deep concerns that we have in reference to the treatment the family received in this case,” said Damon Daniel, president of Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, who is working with the family to get answers about Garner’s death. “After the notification of Mr. Garner’s death, there was no contact initiated by law enforcement as to the status of the investigation nor was there much direction given by them to direct the family to support services.”
The family also has doubts that Garner would be suicidal. The officers who arrested him did not report he indicated he wanted to kill himself.
“Now that the cause of death is public and the investigation is closed, the family is still left with obvious questions concerning detaining procedures, roles and responsibilities of those working in the jail and much more,” Daniel said. “The community and law enforcement agencies need each other. We know that they are human beings providing a much-needed service. However, the community’s expectation is to be treated with compassion, dignity and respect.”
