No charges in death of Canadian in Grenada

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ST. DAVID'S, Grenada, March 16 (UPI) -- Grenada authorities say no charges are being pursued at this time against five police officers accused of beating a Toronto man to death last year.

Christopher Nelson, director of prosecutions for Grenada, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. a judge ruled Friday that a coroner's inquest must be held before the criminal case can proceed in the death of Oscar Bartholomew, 39.

Nelson said charges could be brought if warranted by evidence presented at an inquest.

Bartholomew was beaten into a fatal coma on Dec. 26, 2011, while incarcerated in St. David's.

Bartholomew's relatives say he was killed after he bear-hugged a plainclothes policewoman he had mistaken for a friend and yelled that she was being raped, the CBC said.

Bartholomew was in his native Grenada to visit family with his wife.