Strangulation may have caused Metis prisoner's death

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A Metis man, found unconscious in a Lac La Biche jail cell last spring, may have died from a neck hold put on him by a RCMP officer, a lawyer for the dead man's family argued at a fatality inquiry Jan. 27.

Const. Richard Michaud testified that he had used the hold after Jack Thompson, 29, tried to attack another prisoner but he did not apply enough force to cut off Thompson's air supply.

RCMP constables testified that Thompson was found unconscious and efforts were made to revive him. He died April 25 in the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

The inquiry continues this week.