American kills himself in Taiwan courtroom after drug conviction

An American man committed suicide in a Taiwanese courtroom after he was sentenced to four years in prison.

“We deeply regret that Tyrel Martin Marhanka killed himself during the sentencing”, the court said in a statement.

Marhanka apparently smuggled two scissor blades into the court by hiding them in a magazine.

“Four years?” he was heard saying to his translator, who tried to assure Marhanka he could appeal.

Medics who rushed Marhanka to the local hospital said the victim’s neck had 12cm and 7cm lacerations on the left and right sides respectively.

Marhanka, who worked in the country as an English teacher, was arrested in previous year in April after Changhua County police found more than 200 marijuana plants, 195 dried cannabis plants and 10 opium poppies at a home he was renting. He was still conscious when they arrived at the hospital, but died about 30 minutes later.

Police found more than 200 cannabis plants, 195 dried cannabis plants and 10 opium poppies at a house he rented in Yongjing Township, Changhua County.

‘He was cooperative during the investigation and the trial. “His attitude was mild and he did not show any signs that he would kill himself”.

Charges for narcotics possession carry a sentence of up to seven years in Taiwan, but the court gave him a lesser sentence because he was growing the plants for his own use.

The court said it had installed two X-ray scanners to strengthen the security check.

Neighbours said he stayed at home most of the time with his Taiwanese wife and two children – a young son and daughter.

Witnesses told the Taipei Times that after the judge read aloud the sentence Marhanka turned to the interpreter and said: “Four years?“. The court’s current facility, told security personnel, lacked adequate space for the equipment.