Toxicology Testing Planned—

Autopsy On Garner Prisoner Inconclusive

By Andrew Gorosko

The results of an autopsy that probed the cause of the April 12 death of an inmate at Garner Correctional Institution were inconclusive, so toxicology testing will be done on the prisoner’s remains in seeking to determine the manner and means of his death.

A spokeswoman for the Chief State Medical Examiner’s Office in Farmington this week said that the April 13 autopsy of Edward J. Henderson, 35, of Clinton will be augmented by the findings of toxicology tests whose results should be available sometime between early June and early July.

State police spokesman Sergeant J. Paul Vance said this week that state police are continuing their investigation into Henderson’s death. “We’re awaiting the medical examiner’s findings,” he said.

Henderson died April 12 following a struggle with correction officers at the state’s high-security prison. At the time, Henderson was incarcerated there on an assault conviction.

Shortly after 11 am that day, after learning that an inmate was in “very grave condition,” state troopers and state police detectives responded to the prison to investigate.

“The preliminary investigation determined that correction officers were escorting the inmate when he became unruly and struggled with correction officers. The inmate was restrained by staff members and escorted into his cell,” according to Sgt Vance.

 “The inmate became distressed shortly after his arrival into his cell. Medical personnel at the facility provided emergency care and the inmate was transported to the Danbury Hospital emergency room where he was pronounced dead. Correctional personnel sustained no injuries,” according to Sgt Vance.

Sgt Vance has declined to comment on the specifics of the events that occurred before Henderson fell ill in his cell.

The state Department of Correction, which operates Garner, is conducting an internal affairs investigation into Henderson’s death.