A Westland police sergeant and two paramedics have been charged after the death of a jail inmate in December.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced the charges during a news conference on Monday morning. Each is charged with involuntary manslaughter and misconduct in office of the death of William Marshall.
Marshall was arrested on Dec. 10, 2017 and taken into custody in the Westland Police Department at 6:39 a.m.
At 7:51 a.m., Worthy said Marshall began to convulse and have muscle spasms, and EMTs were called and arrived at 8:02 a.m.
Marshall told the paramedics that he was having a seizure, and he was dragged from his cell into the hallway. Worthy said that neither the medics or the sergeant did nothing.
He eventually died with his cause of death being ruled cocaine toxicity.
Worthy said the EMTs and sergeant showed an "inexcusable and criminal disregard for human life."
Westland Police Chief Jeff Jedrusik released this statement:
I would like to begin by thanking the Michigan State Police Department and the Wayne County Prosecutors Office for independently investigating this matter for us. I am extremely confident that these agencies conducted a thorough and detailed investigation.
I again want to offer my sincere apology to the William Marshall family for their loss.
The charges today against the City of Westland police officer are taken seriously by the department and the City administration. The officer charged today has been suspended pending the Departmental investigation and discipline. We will provide the police union the necessary notice of our intention to conduct and finalize our investigation into this matter.
After the investigation, we will take the necessary discipline up to and including termination of the officer.
The Westland Police Department has implemented changes to department’s policies and procedures regarding prisoner incarceration. The Department has provided additional training to its employees and will continue to do so to ensure that something like this never happens again.
