Originally Posted by Andy_Marlowe:
“I think they killed Gordon off too quickly - it's normally weeks or months into a sentence before there is a prison suicide, not day one because barristers would still be talking about appeals etc, and also I am sure before announcing the death to the family they would have ascertained whether at least it was murder or suicide (or natural causes)”
I think they inform the family as soon as possible after the event because they wouldn't want them hearing from any other source. They wouldn't, however,
speculate on the cause of death until it had been officially confirmed (presumably by the p.m) even if it seemed blatantly obvious what had happened - there was a knife sticking out of him, he was hanging in the cell. Also, I'm not sure DI Wise would actually know all the details, I don't think he'd be involved in the investigation at the prison and was obviously chosen to inform the family because of his connection with them and the unusual circumstances