By Canadian Press

Halifax police constable defends actions in cell death of man wearing spit hood

Jun 23, 2021 | 7:49 AM

HALIFAX — A Halifax police constable who helped arrest a man who died of suffocation in a lockup cell says a spit hood was placed over the detainee’s head because the man was angry and saliva was spotted in the police car. 

Const. Justin Murphy testified today before the Nova Scotia Police Review Board, which is hearing an appeal of the discipline he and constables Ryan Morris and Donna Lee Paris received for their role in arresting Corey Rogers and leaving him in a cell wearing the hood.

A spit hood is a face covering designed to prevent a person under arrest from spitting on or biting others.

The province’s medical examiner has said the 41-year-old man died of suffocation on June 15, 2016, while lying face down in a police station cell with the hood covering his mouth as he appeared to be vomiting. 

Rogers was arrested outside a Halifax children’s hospital earlier that night in a state of extreme intoxication after he consumed a pint of whiskey, following the birth of his child.

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Murphy says he saw Rogers banging his head against the Plexiglas divider inside his colleagues’ police cruiser and upon arrival at the police station, saw mucus on the divider, which he says led him to pick up a spit hood for Rogers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2021.

The Canadian Press