Filipino inmate kills self, despite suicide warnings to Hawaii jail

Jimuel Gatioan, 49, reportedly hanged himself on March 28 while detained at the Oahu Community Correctional Center. DPS

A Filipino inmate was found hanging in his cell at the Oahu Community Correctional Center in Hawaii despite warnings from lawyers in the case that he was suicidal.

Jimuel Gatioan had been arrested for domestic abuse. FACEBOOK

Jimuel Gatioan, 49, reportedly hanged himself on March 28 a week after his defense attorney, Jonathan Burge as well as deputy prosecutor Benjamin Rose warned the jail to put him on a suicide watch.

Gatioan’s wife, 46, reported to both lawyers that he was threatening to kill himself.

Gatioan, originally from Dingras, Ilocos Norte, according to his Facebook page, had been arrested for domestic abuse after he allegedly stabbed his wife with a screwdriver on Feb. 20. Burge said Gatioan’s suicide was tragic, preventable and “just grossly negligent.”

Last year, Hawaii paid $1.4 million to the family of Joseph O’Malley, an inmate at Halawa Correctional Center in 2017. O’Malley hanged himself despite being on suicide watch, according to Hawaii News Now.