PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. (CP) About 90 minutes before he was found unconscious in his cell, Michael David Devillers was talkative and friendly and even high-fiving the constable who had just arrested him, a coroner's inquest heard Tuesday.

Devillers, a visitor from the Yukon, died in Prince George Regional Hospital Dec. 18, 2004.

He never regained consciousness after being found hanging from the bars of his cell on Dec. 15 at about 7:45 p.m.

Inquest proceedings before a coroner's jury of four women and one man began Tuesday and were scheduled to continue through today, with acting regional coroner Shane DeMeyer presiding.

There were no significant marks of injury on Devillers' body except ligature marks around the neck, said Dr. James McNaughton, forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy Dec. 21, 2004.

Just 10 to 11 pounds of pressure to the neck over four to five minutes would have been enough to cause the brain to shut down and portions would start to die, he said. Death was attributed to hanging, McNaughton said.

The video recording system in cells was accidentally interrupted and there was no videotape available of the hanging, court heard.

Devillers was admitted into the detox centre at Prince George Regional Hospital on Dec. 9 and a treatment plan was developed for him, said Karen Parent, detox worker.

He had been consuming 26 ounces of alcohol and about $20 of cocaine daily before he checked himself in.

His discharge date was set for Dec. 15. As that day approached, he became more anxious and a nurse offered him the opportunity to stay one more day.

He decided to leave on the 15th anyway, and was discharged at 1:15 p.m.

Devillers called back at 4:30 asking to be readmitted, but his bed had already been reassigned and there were no openings. As Parent tried to explain alternatives available, he hung up, sounding despondent, court was told.

A few minutes later, Devillers was caught by a loss prevention officer at a grocery store after taking two items from the premises without paying.

He had no record for shoplifting and the store was prepared to let him go with a warning, but there were three warrants out for his arrest, and Const. Mandeep Atwal took him into custody.

Devillers was co-operative and there was no need to handcuff him before escorting him from the store.

At around 6 p.m., during the booking process at the RCMP detachment, Atwal searched Devillers in the presence of a guard.

Part of the purpose of the search was to remove any clothing item a prisoner might use to hang himself.

Nothing significant was discovered when Devillers emptied his pockets, and under his black jeans there seemed to be only long underwear, Atwal said.

Numerous video cameras were trained on cells and all could be seen at frequent intervals from the guard office. Nora Freethy, guard at the cells, said she went to each cell at least every 15 minutes and more often every 10 minutes to see if prisoners were all right.

Although he had seemed upbeat during booking, Devillers was angry to the point of being almost irrational when he found out no bread had been brought to him with his evening meal, Freethy said.