News that a mentally-ill prisoner who hanged himself at Westgate had his hands tied behind his back at the time sparked fresh calls yesterday for a public inquiry.

However, the Police said that such circumstances are not unusual in suicide cases elsewhere, and they are not treating Lorenzo Robinson's death as suspicious.

Robinson, 28, was incarcerated in a "hospital" cell at Westgate after being acquitted on grounds of insanity of attempting to stab a tourist to death in 2002.

Experts recommended that the defendant, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and depression, be housed in a specialist psychiatric unit, not a prison.

There is no such venue in Bermuda, and six years of calls for Robinson to be given the help he needed came to nothing by the time he hung himself in his cell on Sunday.

Detective Chief Inspector Antoine Daniels and Coroner's Officer Adrian Cook both said yesterday that – according to experts consulted in the case – it is common for determined suicide victims in other countries to tie their hands in this manner.

"There is nothing suspicious. We're dealing with it as a regular sudden death inquiry," said DCI Daniels of the Robinson case. "That's pretty common in suicides. It's kind of unusual for Bermuda, but we've checked with some experts and they say it's common."

A report for the Coroner is being prepared by the Police, and should be completed within a week.

Sgt. Cook said it is likely to take months for an inquest to be held, but when it does it will be held in public in open court because it involves a death in custody.

Lawyers Llewellyn Peniston and Elizabeth Christopher, who both represented Robinson, called earlier this week for a public inquiry into the apparent failings in the case.

Mr. Peniston re-iterated that call yesterday in light of news about the way the body was found.

"It may well be a process in other jurisdictions in respect of suicides but I think it's almost unheard of here," he said.

"There must be a much broader and wider inquiry. Inquests in the past have done a reasonable job but the circumstances are not as complicated as with this one. I'm not satisfied that an inquest ruling would give sufficient clarity and force to the circumstances surrounding this matter.

"It's an extremely unusual circumstance and it must be investigated rather than succumb to the temptation to sweep this under the carpet as if his life had no value."

Neither Minister of Health Nelson Bascome, Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing David Burch, or Commissioner of Prisons Edward Lamb have answered questions about what efforts were being made to secure Robinson help overseas, or whether he was on suicide watch at the time of his death.

However, Opposition House Leader John Barritt said he would expect a Ministerial Statement on the matter in today's session of the House of Assembly – the last before the summer break.

"I would expect the Minister to take advantage of that opportunity to make a Ministerial statement," he said. "This is a matter of national importance in the light of all that's been said. It's a tragedy, a sad, sad tragedy when it appears we have one shortcoming piled on top of another.

"I understand and am sympathetic as to why there would be calls for a public inquiry. I think that shows what people think of inquests. Inquests in Bermuda are not being held on a timely basis and that needs to be changed."