A North Country man hung himself in a N.Y. jail with a T-shirt Christmas night. The state will investigate this week.

Harold Birge, 44, of Watertown, N.Y. was found around 9:30 p.m. in his cell at the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building and was pronounced dead at Samaritan Medical Center.

Sheriff John Burns said Birge had been under constant watch after an unspecified incident last week, but he was changed to a 10-minute watch after a mental health evaluation.

Burns said an officer checked on Birge less than five minutes before finding him hanging.

Birge was facing two counts of first-degree rape after police say he allegedly forced his way into his estranged wife's home and raped her.

Police said Birge was found hiding in the basement of a house next to his home.

Birge also was charged with first-degree burglary and aggravated criminal contempt.