LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – The January death of an inmate at the Jackson County Jail is ongoing, Jackson Police tell 6 News.
Dameon Broussard was found unconscious and without a pulse in his cell on Jan. 26. He was transported to Henry Ford Hospital where he died on Jan. 30.
Jackson County Sheriff Gary Schuette referred the death investigation to the Jackson Police Department.
Jackson Police Chief Elmer Hitt tells 6 News he’s not sure why it has taken this long to complete the investigation, but he “will take full responsibility for the delay.”
As for the investigation status itself, Hitt said the investigation is ongoing.
“The detective assigned to the case still has some work to do before it will be sent to the Prosecutor’s Office for review of potential charges of Delivery of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death,” Hitt said in an email. “It is suspected another inmate gave Broussard a controlled substance shortly before he collapsed.”
After the death, Jackson County Officials said it was likely a heroin overdose, which the family denied in an interview with 6 News.
Hitt said the cause of death was “Anoxic Encephalopathy and Complications Thereof.” That’s a medical term for brain trauma caused by an overdose or cardiac arrest.
Hitt says there were no “less than lethal” items, such as a taser, used on Broussard, and there is video of the events leading up to his death. The video won’t be released he said while the case remains under investigation.
