posted 06-12-2006 07:57 AM            

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http://www.fox12news.com/Global/story.asp?S=5014748

Man in Police Custody Attempts Suicide

June 10, 2006 10:00 PM EDT

Man In Police Custody Attempts Suicide

Boise, Idaho - Boise police say a man tried to commit suicide by stabbing himself with scissors while in police custody.

Police spokeswoman Lynn Hightower says Mitchell Ponting II, 41, was taking a polygraph test when detectives left to get him a soda.

While alone in the room, Ponting apparently grabbed a pair of scissors and began stabbing himself in the stomach.

He was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Police are conducting an internal review and have removed all office supplies that can be used as weapons from polygraph rooms.

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posted 06-12-2006 08:41 AM         

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Barry,

I don't see a problem as long as the suspect was not running with the scissors prior to stabbing himself ( I once heard that running with scissors was dangerous).

In answer to your question, I think he pretty much scored his own charts!

Ted

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posted 06-12-2006 11:16 AM            

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Barry,

I saw your post and it brought to mind a very recent polygraph that I conducted. A detention officer at our county jail was accused of committing a lewd act on a minor two years ago (he became infatuated with his 14 year old step-daughters blossoming breasts) and he agreed to a polygraph. He went DI and I obtained his confession. I usually do not get involved with the what happens to suspects after I finish with them, but the Detective on this case made a great call and decided to immediately arrest him and transport him to jail. Obviously, you can imagine the public shame for this officer being booked into his own jail, but it was unavoidable. Long story short, his vehicle was inventoried in our parking lot to recover weapons belonging to the Detention facility and in his vehicle were several envelopes already addressed and stamped with letters to loved ones, supervisor, military dog tags to his son, etc. This subject was clearly going to commit suicide if he had been given "professional courtesy" and allowed to turn himself in. I for one will keep this in mind in the future.

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posted 06-15-2006 08:12 AM            

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Maybe the scissors should have been placed behind glass with a sign that said "In case of Suicidal Tendancies BREAK GLASS" But if you had broken glass, then you wouldn't need scissors would you. hmmmm

Besides, it would never happen in my Polygraph Suite. They replaced all of my scissors with the blunt tipped one years ago.

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