Henderson was assigned to maximum security because of the severity of the charges and because inmates often retaliate against incarcerated former police officers. He had been charged with five counts of attempted aggravated murder, one count of aggravated assault, another of domestic violence-related criminal mischief and three counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm.

Officials did not notice signs of distress this week, Jaroscak said.

"I'm sure if he had expressed some sort of suicidal tendencies, he would have been immediately taken to the (medical health) unit," he said.

Even Brass, who talked with Henderson a week ago, said he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

"I know he's been extremely depressed for some significant period of time, (but) his demeanor has always been largely the same," he said.

Officials found Henderson unconscious in his cell around 11:05 p.m. Wednesday. He pieced ripped bed sheets together to make a rope.

Jail officials immediately began CPR and called for backup. Henderson was transported to St. Mark's Hospital and pronounced dead almost 35 minutes later.

Officers had last seen him 45 minutes before, during routine checks.

Henderson had pleaded not guilty to the felony charges, and trial was scheduled to start in July.

Brass said he was preparing a legal defense based on Henderson's statements indicating he had stopped taking anti-depressants shortly before the Jan. 27 incident.

Brass said that people who stop taking anti-depressants abruptly often suffer severe effects and end up in worse condition than before.

Henderson was not himself that day, Brass said.

Brass said Henderson told him he couldn't remember some crucial details of the chase, shooting or shootout.

"Our feeling in this case was that — again we were just getting into it — that there were mental and chemical conditions beyond his control that led him to do some things that were out of his control," Brass said. "What we were going to do was to raise a mental health defense based on his state of mind, in the removal of medications."

The Lehi Police Department, where Henderson worked from 2000 to 2004, expressed condolences.

"Obviously, we feel for the family during this tragic time," said Lehi Police Sgt. Jeff Swenson. "It's a tough thing to deal with."

A family member said Thursday she wished Henderson could have received the mental health treatment he so desperately needed.

She also said the family was tired of seeing the scene replayed and wanted to deal privately with the loss.

Brass said he will file a motion to dismiss the charges.

"Art actually was a pretty decent human being," Brass said. "He was very troubled emotionally, obviously. He tended to see things in black-and-white terms and thought that this gentleman that he shot had mistreated his children, and he was angry about that.

"It's unfortunate that this is the way he will be remembered."

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