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Man in Serious Condition After Attempting Suicide in Downtown Courthouse

By  Chelsia Rose Marcius Irene Plagianos and Natalie Musumeci | October 18, 2012 3:54pm | Updated on October 18, 2012 4:50pm

 A 32-year-old man attempted suicide inside a narcotics holding cell at 80 Centre St. Oct. 18, 2012, sources said.
A 32-year-old man attempted suicide inside a narcotics holding cell at 80 Centre St. Oct. 18, 2012, sources said.
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DNAinfo/Chelsia Rose Marcius

LOWER MANHATTAN — A 32-year-old prisoner attempted to hang himself in the Downtown offices of the city's special narcotics prosecutor Thursday afternoon, officials said.

The man, identified by sources as Oscar Batista, was found hanging in the fifth-floor holding cell of 80 Centre St., near Worth Street, about 2:15 p.m., the FDNY said.

Emergency responders resuscitated Batista and rushed him to Bellevue Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition, the FDNY said.

He was arrested earlier in the day and charged with two counts of money laundering in the second degree, said Catherine Christian, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor.

A pretzel vendor at the corner of Worth and Centre streets witnessed the aftermath.

"I heard screams and three or four people were taking pictures of the body," said Mohammed Khyer, 57, of Woodland Park, N.J.

The incident is under investigation, officials said.