Pubdate: Sat, 15 Nov 2003 Source: Dominion Post, The (New Zealand) Copyright: 2003 The Dominion Post Contact: http://www.dompost.co.nz Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2550 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/New+Zealand (New Zealand) CORRECTIONS WON'T INVESTIGATE P DEATH CLAIMS The Corrections Department is refusing to investigate claims that a man on home detention manufactured and dealt P before dying of an overdose of the drug. A department spokeswoman said yesterday that claims made in an anonymous letter to NZ First corrections spokesman Ron Mark would not be investigated unless further information, such as the man's name, was available. It was too difficult to identify the man otherwise, she said. The rejection was attacked by Mr Mark, who accused the department of a cover-up. He said there was enough detail in the letter to allow the department to identify the man, including his convictions and alleged gang associations. The letter, which Mr Mark tabled in Parliament on Thursday, was from a person who said they lived near the man when he was released from prison this year after serving seven years for manslaughter and assaulting a prison warden. The man was employed locally while on home detention, had the use of a "juiced-up" Holden car, lived for a time with a woman he met after his release, and was visited often by people who appeared to be gang associates, the letter said. Probation and Offender Services general manager Katrina Casey confirmed on Thursday night that there had been one case this year of an offender dying of an overdose, but the department was unable to say if it was the case referred to in the letter. Mr Mark said: "The taxpaying public . . . has a right to know . . . whether we do have a case of people being able to manufacture P while on home detention and, more to the point, able to die from an overdose while supposedly being supervised." Officials must know, "unless they have hundreds of people dying of drug overdoses while in their care on home detention". Mr Mark has written to Corrections Minister Paul Swain asking him to order an investigation. A spokeswoman for Mr Swain said he would respond to Mr Mark next week. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin