JUSTICE Minister Thavi Sodsong said an investigation of the death of Pol. Col. Thitisan Uttanaphon, aka Superintendent Joe Ferrari, who had been jailed for life for intentionally torturing a drug suspect to death with two plastic bags and was found hanged at Klong Prem Central Prison would be undertaken, Thai Rath newspaper said today (March 8).
Thavi added that he was informed by the Director-General of the Corrections Department before midnight last night that Joe Ferrari was found hanged in a solitary confinement cell at approximately 8.50 p.m.
It was not yet known whether he used his own shirt or a towel to hang himself from the cell bars, he said, adding the former police superintendent was placed in solitary confinement because the director-general found that he was paranoid, self-harming and was a psychiatric patient.
Regarding rumours that he had problems with prison officers to the point of being physically assaulted and his relatives had filed complaints for investigation twice but prison officers did not allow investigators to come in and inspect the scene, Thavi said he had not seen the details but all the facts would be investigated.
At 1.10 p.m. when prison officers took Joe Ferrari’s body to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for an autopsy, his family’s lawyer Mr. Wirachat Nakin told the press that he had sent a message apologising to the parents of the drug suspect who died and that his family were concerned about the cause and motive of his death.
On Jan.14 he had asked his relatives to file a complaint at Prachachuen police station that he had been physically assaulted by prison officers and named those who did so.
Later a disciplinary committee was set up to investigate the former superintendent according to regulations and it was found that he had disobeyed the officer’s order which led to being transferred from the prison zone to a separate cell at the order of the Commander of Klong Prem Central Prison, he said, adding that Joe Ferrari did not willingly request to be placed in solitary confinement.
Wirachat also denied Joe Ferrari was a psychiatric patient as he has been visiting him for a long time and he never mentioned this. They had discussed fighting the case in the appeals court after the lower court had sentenced him to life imprisonment and they also talked about his life after leaving prison.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Former police superintendent Pol. Col. Thitisan Uttanaphon, aka Superintendent Joe Ferrari. Photo: Thai Rath
First insert: Justice Minister Thavi Sodsong. Photo: Amarin TV
Second: Lawyer Mr. Wirachat Nakin. Photo: Thai Rath
Front Page: Justice Minister Thavi Sodsong, left, and Former police superintendent Pol. Col. Thitisan Uttanaphon, aka Superintendent Joe Ferrari, right. Photo: Amarin TV
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