Federal judge allows case against Michigan county jail to go to trial
John Griswold was held in the Livingston County Jail for less than 24 hours when he died in custody. Now a lawyer for the family said they're one step closer to a jury trial.
Griswold had no previous criminal history when he got into an argument with his family in 2018, according to the family's lawyer Brian McKeen.
"It was obvious that he was not in full possession of his faculties, that his balance was impaired, that his level of consciousness was impaired," said McKeen.
McKeen says just a few hours later, Griswold vomited and made no effort to clean himself up.
"He just laid there in his own vomit-- this is abnormal behavior that people should recognize as a potential medical emergency," he said.
Mckeen blames the officers in the jail and the emergency medical personnel at St. Joseph Mercy Livingston who released Griswold into their custody.
"John Griswold had a serious medical need, these deputies turned a blind eye to it in violation to their own policies by the way, and we think it is because in large part because they were inadequately trained," McKeen said.
He said Griswold's treatment was a violation of his civil liberties and this week a federal judge ruled to allow the case to continue on to a jury trial.
"The jury will hear the facts of this case and I feel very confident in saying that the jury will feel how I feel that John's rights were violated," McKeen said.
CBS News Detroit contacted the Livingston County Sheriff's Office for comment on the case but did not hear back on Wednesday.
Mckeen noted that any damages to be awarded to the family will be decided at trial.
