Death row inmate commits suicide using rubber bands

A prisoner awaiting execution in the Taipei Detention Center was found dead yesterday, January 18, with more than 50 rubber bands around his neck.

Chen Yu’an (陳昱安) was handed the death penalty by the Supreme Court, January 2013, for the murder of his father in 2010. Chen, 37 years old at the time, had been kicked out home, and bore resentment over favoritism shown to his brothers. In September of that year, Chen cut his father down with a meat cleaver, and stabbed him with a sashimi knife more than 100 times.

Detention center officials said that Chen had collected rubber bands which were used to attach a cigarette lighter in the smoking area at the center. The rubber bands were not contraband and prisoners were allowed to go outdoors to smoke.

Chen is suspected to have collected the rubber bands over time before covering himself with a blanket at bedtime January 17 and putting the rubber bands around his neck. Chen’s cellmates did not notice any abnormalities at the time.

Prison managers were alerted to the death at 6:52am and immediately sought medical help. Chen was sent to hospital and declared dead at 7:55am.

The Correctional Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice are conducting an investigation and reviewing operating procedures at the detention center.

Sources: United Daily News, China Times.

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