'Dr. Death' hanging: Inquiry opens
 |
Shipman during his 1998 trial
Story Tools
VIDEO
|
"Dr. Death" is found hanging in his prison cell.
|
|
LONDON, England -- An inquiry has opened into the apparent suicide of a family doctor believed to be Britain's worst serial killer.
Harold Shipman, who killed at least 215 mostly unsuspecting middle-aged and elderly women patients, was found in his cell at Wakefield prison, northern England, by prison staff early Tuesday, the day before his 58th birthday. (Full story)
He had hanged himself using bed sheets from the window bars in his cell, a Prison Service spokeswoman said.
Stephen Shaw, the prisons and probation ombudsman appointed to lead the inquiry, arrived at the jail on Wednesday to talk to staff and prisoners.
He has said a key question will be why Shipman was not put on a suicide watch at the high-security prison.
Relatives have said they are upset Shipman showed no remorse and maintained his innocence even after his January 2000 conviction at Preston Crown Court for 15 murders.
Later a public inquiry heard he had murdered more than 215 patients with deadly diamorphine injections, mostly elderly women, in a 23-year killing spree and was suspected of killing another 45.
"He's a complete coward," Royal Air Force lieutenant Danny Mellor, 54, whose 73-year-old mother Winifred was one of Shipman's last three victims, told Reuters. "He has shown his cowardice in the most graphic manner." (Relatives angry)
Shipman was planning an appeal against his conviction for 15 murders, his lawyer revealed Tuesday.
The body was transported from Wakefield Prison to the Medico-Legal Centre in Sheffield for a post-mortem examination. Local coroner David Hinchcliff said the provisional finding was that hanging was the cause of death.
Shipman had been on suicide watch briefly earlier in his sentence at Manchester prison and on being moved to Frankland prison in February 2000, but never since he arrived at Wakefield in June 2003.
But he had been a difficult prisoner in Wakefield jail and in December he had his privileges removed, including having a television in his room and dispensing with prison uniform because of his "attitude and behavior" towards staff and prison officers.
Copyright 2004 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
