Inmate Hangs Self in Columbia County Jail
Posted October 25, 2018 04:55 pm | Part I | Part II
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Last night, sometime before 8
pm, a
Columbia
County
Jail
inmate
hung
himself
in the
intake
area of
the
County
jail.
This
area of
the jail
is under
video
surveillance.
The Columbia County Sheriff's Public Information Officer Murray Smith wrote a press release this morning.
This press release was only distributed to Columbia County's mainstream good ole' boy newspaper the Lake City Reporter, until this afternoon, when the Observer asked for information regarding "the hanging in the jail."
PIO Smith provided the following press release [as written]:
Detectives
and FDLE
Investigate
Apparent
Jail
Suicide
On
Wednesday
night,
October
25,
Columbia
County
Sheriff
Office
Detectives
began an
investigation
into the
death of
a CCSO
inmate
at the
county
jail.
The investigation was prompted when
Detention Deputies who were conducting
routine inmate checks found Harry Leary, 57
dead in his cell. Leary was in alone
in the cell waiting to be in processed when
he apparently used his clothing to
self-asphyxiate.
Detention Deputies began CPR and notified
EMS who responded and pronounced him dead
just before 8PM.
Sheriff Mark Hunter responded and
directed that FDLE take part in a joint
investigation. “This is a sad incident which
illustrates the stresses of incarceration
and the very difficult work done by the jail
staff.” Sheriff Hunter said, “Our
hearts go out to the Leary family during
this difficult time.”
Leary was being booked on a burglary
charge and a violation of probation charge.
This investigation is active and ongoing.
