This is the latest from Associated Press. Emphasis added.

NEW YORK - A woman who died after being handcuffed and detained at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was on her way to an alcohol rehabilitation program, her family's lawyer said Monday.

"I can't confirm that she had alcoholism, but that certainly is my assumption," said Michael Manning, who was hired by Carol Anne Gotbaum's family over the weekend to monitor the police investigation.

He said it does not seem possible that Gotbaum could have strangled herself in custody.

Gotbaum, 45, became angry Friday when she was late for a flight and a gate crew did not let her on the plane. Officers handcuffed her behind her back [Now that is interesting] and took her to the holding room, where she kept screaming, authorities said.

Police spokesman Sgt. Andy Hill said officers checked on Gotbaum regularly [But no indication of exact frequency]. During one check, officers found her unconscious with her hands "pressed against her neck area," Hill said.

"We don't know why or how she did it, but you have to assume that when someone is handcuffed behind their back that most probably she brought them from underneath herself and back up high."

Manning disagreed.

"It doesn't make any sense," he said. "She was handcuffed behind her back and shackled to a table. It doesn't make sense that she could have physically managed to strangle herself."

Manning said he plans to send a representative to watch the county medical examiner's autopsy on Tuesday. He will conduct his own inquiry into whether police followed proper procedure.

Manning said the family has not decided whether it should file a lawsuit against Phoenix police.

"We're not going to jump to any conclusions without any evidence," he said. [This is what I've been saying all along.]

Hill said officers followed established policy while detaining Gotbaum.