A 36-year-old man hanged himself last week in an 18th Police District jail cell, according to police and the Medical Examiner's Office.
Brian Irvin used his sweatshirt and one of the bars in the cell to take his own life, police said.
A bench warrant had been issued for Irvin after he failed to appear in court for a status hearing Feb. 1 in a case involving the alleged unauthorized transfer of sounds on recording devices, according to online court records.
Officers picked him up on the warrant Wednesday on Market Street near 59th, in Cobbs Creek, and brought him to 18th District headquarters, at 55th and Pine streets, said Lt. Frank Vanore, police spokesman.
Irvin was held in a cell while he was being processed, and a little after 4 p.m. officers found him dead, Vanore said. Police took him to Mercy Philadelphia Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:32 p.m., Vanore said.
Jeff Moran, spokesman for the city Medical Examiner's Office, said that Irvin's death was ruled a suicide by hanging.
Irvin had numerous prior arrests, mostly drug-related, beginning in 1992, court records show. In every case, he apparently was sentenced to probation or the charges were withdrawn or dismissed.
According to procedure, Irvin's death is being investigated by detectives from homicide and internal affairs, Vanore said.
Staff writer Dana DiFilippo contributed to this report.
