MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. – Four Muskegon County sheriff’s deputies were sentenced to community service for their lack of action while a man died in custody.
Deputies Jeffrey Patterson, Crystal Greve, Jamal Lane, and David Vanderlaan each pled no contest to willful neglect of duty and were sentenced to 100 hours of community service, and a $1,000 fine.
Paul Bulthouse was being held in the Muskegon County Jail on a probation violation when he died. He was booked into jail on March 22, 2019, and his health immediately began deteriorating. Bulthouse was on suicide watch and being monitored for drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
During the night of April 3, 2019, and the early morning hours of April 4, 2019, surveillance video showed Bulthouse having around 18 seizures while locked in a solitary cell.
Surveillance video also showed the four deputies conducting quick, in-person checks into Bulthouses’s cell. They also watched his cell through the video monitor. They did not try to get medical care for Bulthouse.
A sheriff’s deputy who had not been assigned to Bulthouse’s floor discovered Bulthouse lying naked on the floor of his jail cell in a pool of his own urine at around 6 a.m. the morning of April 4, 2019. Bulthouse is believed to have died at around 5:30 a.m. on April 4, 2019.
“This was a horrible loss of life, that may have been avoided but for the inexcusable neglect of four deputies who serve roles of public service. We have a responsibility to increase the standards of service and care in this state’s corrections facilities and we intend to pursue that,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said.
According to the AG’s office, Bulthouse’s family is still deeply troubled by the care he received while being held in jail. The family has also expressed concern that the four deputies will remain in their positions with the sheriff’s office.
The Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office has made changes in response to the charges. The changes include new policies and a change in medical service provider for treatment of people being in custody. The Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office also requires all deputies to wear body cameras and microphones, including deputies working inside the jail.
“Each case before the Department of the Attorney General is unique and reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether a trial is the likeliest path to secure a conviction or if a plea arrangement provides the only pursuit of accountability likely to succeed. These sentences come after a lengthy preliminary examination, dozens of pretrial motions, a lack of cooperation from critical and necessary witnesses and adverse rulings regarding key pieces of evidence. Allowing a settlement of this matter in which the defendants accept responsibility ensures accountability for those responsible for the neglect of care to Bulthouse while also allowing for closure for his family.”
Press release from Michigan AG