No evidence Timmins officer assaulted man: SIU

The Special Investigations Unit says there are no reasonable grounds to charge a Timmins Police officer, following the death of a man in December.

The SIU said 47-year-old Samson Stephen was found Dec. 22, lying on the floor of a downtown bank with bruising to his head.

He was taken to hospital, but refused treatment and eventually left.

The next day, Timmins Police arrested the man for public intoxication and taken to the police station where he stayed the night.

The SIU said the officer noticed injuries on Stephen's face, but also noted he could walk unassisted to the cells.

Stephen was monitored throughout the night, and suffered from a seizure the next day.

He died three days later in hospital.

The involved officer did nothing wrong in the incident, the SIU concluded, and added there is no evidence the officer assaulted Stephen.

The SIU investigates reports involving police where there has been a death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.