Man who took own life in jail arrested for making threats, officer testifies
Cleve Geddes didn't show signs of mental illness during interaction, officer told inquest
The OPP officer who arrested a man who later took his own life in jail in February 2017 testified at an inquest Monday the man showed no signs of mental illness during their encounter, but made what the officer considered to be clear and escalating threats.
Cleve Geddes, known as Cas to his family and friends, died on Feb. 10, 2017 in hospital after hanging himself in a segregation cell at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre, seven days after being taken into custody.
Coroner Michael Wilson is presiding over the inquest, which is examining the events surrounding Geddes's death. The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths.
Ontario Provincial Police Const. Chris Teasdale, testifying on Monday, said he had been on the job just seven months at the time of the incident, but had experience dealing with youth and men with mental illness, having worked as a supervisor at the Ottawa Mission.
He visited the 30-year-old Geddes at his apartment in Killaloe, Ont., after receiving a call from Donald Denning, Geddes's father.
Teasdale testified Denning called police after Geddes had threatened to put a bullet through his father's head and burn down his property. Denning told him he wanted to file a peace bond to prevent his son from coming near his property, but did not want Geddes charged and that he worried his son was off his medication, Teasdale said.
Charged with threatening a police officer
Though Denning told the officer he didn't consider his son an imminent threat, Teasdale investigated and knocked on Geddes's door to inform him that he had grounds for an arrest and to hear his side of the story.
He told the inquest during their talk Geddes accused him and another officer of trespassing, so they left. A few minutes later, Teasdale said Geddes walked outside and into traffic before turning back and screaming at police from a distance, saying "I'll throw you into the river."
"I took that as a threat," Teasdale said. He arrested Geddes and charged him threatening a police officer, and said he did so after taking into account the comments Geddes made to his father and a previous arrest record for disturbing the peace at the public library.
Under cross examination by the family's lawyer, Paul Champ, Teasdale said that during his conversation at the apartment that Geddes told him three times that he didn't have his medication and that he needed cigarettes and coffee.
Teasdale said Geddes initially appeared calm and co-operative. He made the arrest once the situation escalated to a direct threat against the officers, he said.
"I'm dealing with a violent crime," Teasdale said. "[There were] no suicidal delusions or hallucinations... he didn't exhibit those signs."
Officer could have chosen 'a different route'
Outside the hearing room, Champ said despite the officer's training and background, he wasn't able to recognize the symptoms of Geddes's mental illness.
"Everyone knew he was off his medication and they couldn't find a better tool than criminally charging him," Champ said. "They arrested him because he was yelling and screaming to himself. He was talking to himself. If that's not a sign of someone suffering from delusions, I don't know what is."
Geddes's sister Sigrid said her father never intended for police to lay criminal charges.
"Police took that upon themselves to arrest Cas," she said.
"We are from a small town where everybody knows everybody. It was all over my brother's file that he had mental health problems. The police officer could have gone a different route than arresting him."
Need help? Here are some mental health resources in the National Capital Region:
- Ottawa Suicide Prevention: 613-238-3311
- Association québécoise de prévention du suicide: 1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553)
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