Friend says dead Briton no drug user

JAKARTA (JP): A Briton denied yesterday that an overdose was behind the death of his friend in Menteng Saturday, saying the victim was not a drug user.

Garry Staggs told The Jakarta Post yesterday his old friend John, who died in Garry's house on Jl. Jaksa, Menteng, Central Jakarta, was not a habitual drug user.

Staggs said he had known John for almost five years. Staggs said he bumped into John unexpectedly at around 10:30 p.m. Friday in a bar in Central Jakarta. "At this time we were 'merry' but not falling down drunk," he said.

Police have speculated that John died after consuming drugs and alcohol.

Staggs said he woke at about 3 a.m. Saturday to go the bathroom, and John was snoring soundly. "There was no reason to wake him, he was welcome to stay as far as I was concerned," Staggs said.

At about 6:30 a.m., Staggs said, he got up for work and John was still snoring soundly.

"John was making a gurgling/squeaking type of sound and his lips were turning blue when I returned from buying cigarettes and coffee," Staggs said.

He said he rushed John to the hospital after giving him mouth- to-mouth resuscitation when he stopped breathing.

During the taxi trip to the hospital, he was almost certain John was still alive. "I was told he was dead when I arrived at the hospital," Staggs said.

"At this moment we do not know the cause of death, but the symptoms suggest something stopped him from breathing and there is no evidence of drug use at this time." (sur)