American kills himself in Taiwan courtroom after drug sentence

Taiwan: A 41 year old American, Tyrel Martin Marhanka killed himself by stabbing himself with a scissor in the neck inside a courtroom in Taiwan on Thursday after he was given a 4 year sentence on drug possession charges. Marhanka, was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Marhanka who has been living in Taiwan for more than 15 years was believed to have dismantled a pair of scissors and concealed them in a magazine to shortcut the courtroom metal detectors.

The incident happened moments after Marhanka was sentenced to four years in prison by the judge for possession of poppy seeds and other narcotics and growing marijuana, which he said were for his own personal use.
Witnesses inside the court room at the time of the incident said they heard Marhanka yell,

 “I don’t want to live anymore,” before drawing out two sharp metal objects and slashing his neck.

In a statement released by the court, it said;

“We deeply regret that Tyrel Martin Marhanka killed himself during the sentencing,” “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.”

Marhanka who had been teaching English in Changhua is married to a Taiwanese woman with two children.