Suicide actor had court date

David Strickland, the Suddenly Susan actor who apparently committed suicide by hanging himself in a Las Vegas hotel room, was due in court in a drug case on the day he was found dead.

Police shed no new light yesterday on Strickland's death, which was discovered on Monday morning.

But records reviewed in Los Angeles revealed that he was supposed to have appeared in court there on the same day.

Strickland was arrested on October 31 for cocaine possession. He pleaded no contest on December 21, the records show.

He was placed on probation for three years and ordered into a rehabilitation programme. He was due in court for a progress report on that programme.

Angela Cheung, a lawyer who was representing Strickland, declined to comment.